A Letter To Change It All
by Venquine1990
Summary: Sly feels terrible for lying to Carmelita and just giving up on his team and so he leaves. But can our favorite thief really start anew on an Island that honors his family when a new enemy has already taken control there? And who says Carmelita and the Cooper Gang will just go and give up on their leader? Just read & discover what one simple letter can change. Rated T for Violence!
1. The Letter

_**Hey everyone,  
Okay, quick warning, this story plan does NOT sound happy. I have many plans for it that – in the long run – will make it a happy story, but it starts out bad, hurtful and very, very sad. It will also completely skip Thieves in Time, so there will be no live mentioning of Tenessee, Riochi or other Cooper Ancestors in here.  
That is all,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **A Letter To Change It All**_

 _ **Sly's POV**_

It's been a month now. A month since I accepted the lie offered to me by Carmelita Montoya Fox. A month since she told me I was her partner and a Constable, while – thanks to my quickly fading amnesia – I knew I was really her adversary and a Master Thief. A month since the guilt in my heart has started growing with each passing day.  
Now I am standing at the doorway to Carmelita's bedroom, having been accepted into her apartment as the beautiful vixen had been unable to think of a location to house me and make it sound factual that I actually lived there and each day that I have lived here, has felt like I am living a lie I should not be willing to keep up.  
At first, the guilt and pain had not been all that bad, having been eased and pushed away by my elation to be living with the woman of my dreams and to finally have the chance I have been dreaming of for so many years, including the period of time where I had been almost crushed to death by a genetic experiment created by one of my enemies.  
Still, as the days turned into weeks and almost into a month, did the feelings of happiness, love and loyalty – especially the last – start to actually increase the guilt and pain that were rising up from the bottom of my heart and, after watching how my _partner_ left for bed, did I make the only decision I feel worthy of.

I had waited until she had fallen asleep and had even dared to keep watching her sleep for several long, gloriously painful minutes, but now I turn myself away from a sight that I no longer feel myself worthy of watching over and do I pace over to where a piece of paper is lying open with a pen beside it, which I use to write:

 _My dearest, precious Carmelita,  
I – I cannot ever describe how sorry I am for the last month that we both have lived a lie. When Dr. M's monster was crushing me in its hold, were you the only thing on my mind. I thought of how much of a coward I had been, how I had never taken the next step and told you how I really felt. I wished you had been there so we could talk out our Professional Differences and see if we could make it work.  
Then, later, after you saved me from Dr. M, did Bentley tell me that I should not be going out as another blow to the head would cause mayor problems, yet my need to finally see all that my family had left me had overwhelmed me and I had confided in my friends that they needed not to worry; this was obviously a mistake.  
Yes, I managed to get my cane back – which belonged to my father – and managed to get all the way into the innermost sanctum of the Cooper Vault, but when Dr. M attempted to hit you, did the blow I receive from deflecting that make me hit my head yet again, causing for temporary amnesia to befall me after I got hit.  
I say temporary, because the minute you spoke your name did all of my memories come back to me, yet I had been so overwhelmed by the blow and the rush of all those years of memories that I dazedly asked you for my name.  
When you answered that I was your partner, Carmelita, was the only thing I could think of the memories of those same thoughts I had when crushed by that monster and – seeing how I was unwilling to risk us getting hurt because we argued over a little white lie – did I pretend to believe you and did we escape the collapsing of my family's ancestry.  
What I am trying to say is that I've been lying to you all this month and I can no longer stand to live like that. I am a Master Thief, one who steals from other criminals and who can only be seen as a criminal in your eyes, now and forever.  
Yet, with this letter comes my assurance to you that you no longer need concern yourself with my criminal ways, past or future. I have found a location near Kaine Island where the community revels in how my family deals with Criminals and this is where I will be heading to spend the rest of my days, my days as a thief.  
Do not believe that I will ever forget you, for my heart can never forget the amazing, delicate, beautiful, sophisticated, gentle, proud, loving, honorable person that makes you who you are and I will always treasure every meeting we have had over the years that have passed. Yet I do not believe myself worthy of you, if the only way I can live beside you is through lies.  
I will always love you, mi amore,_

 _Sly Cooper  
PS. How I wish I could share with you one last kiss, where we didn't either believe in little white lies._

Knowing that the letter is much longer than intended, but feeling that the beautiful vixen sleeping soundly in the room besides me deserves no less, do I lie a single rose – that I secretly stole from a flower shop this afternoon – and a single signature card – that I had made late last night – alongside the letter.  
I fold the three items together, the signature card on top, and sneak back into the beautiful fox's room, softly lying the items on her bedside table and – out of undeniable urge – letting my hand go through the fur on the side of her face one last time before I sneak back out of the room and head for the living room's balcony.

There I put one foot onto the stone railing as I spare one last look at the wonderful home where I have spend my days over the course of the previous month and while I can feel tears starting to appear in my eyes as my heart breaks over the idea of forever parting with my one true love, do I squeeze my eyes closed and make a high jump.  
Using the techniques I have mastered over the last few years, do I easily land on the banister of a fire escape ladder stationed against the house opposite of Carmelita's apartment and while climbing the staircase up to the roof, do I constantly resist myself the urge to gaze back, to look across the street in hopes of seeing her one last time.  
I reach the roof of the building and start running as quickly as I can, my determination to keep with this plan firing up the muscles within my legs and making me run quicker than I have ever run before, simply out of the sheer fear that – if I were to run any slower – I would change my mind and destroy the letter, continuing my life of lies.  
"No, Carmelita doesn't deserve that. She deserves the truth. She deserves a happy life that is not filled with constant anger and irritation issues over some useless thief that can't even keep himself from stealing something as simple and plain as a rose." Goes through my mind and this reprimanding makes me speed up even more.

I then arrive at my second destination and land down on a stone and metal based balcony, putting my hand out into the open air and feeling something tingle against the fur on my skin, making me smirk at the fact that Bentley's detection devices are still active around our old hide-out, indicating that the turtle still lives here.  
"Probably in the hopes of seeing me return here as well." Goes through my mind, but I shake the thought away, having kept an eye on my friends and having seen how amazingly well they have picked up their lives, having found love, completed their training and building a brighter future for themselves than I ever could.  
The thought that they were happier with these lifetimes than our own had definitely hurt, yet it had also been something I had often toyed with as just a random thought that slips in and out of your mind before you really notice it and to see this thought become reality had been the final push I had needed to make my decision final.

I walk into the room, which is my own bedroom, and feel relieved and glad that Bentley has returned everything I had left at Kaine Island in my bedroom, which makes it easier for me to get everything packed, a thought I put into action as I softly pull a large, brown suitcase out from under the bed, that is surprisingly clean.  
Hating to see yet another sign that my friend is awaiting my return, do I feel glad that I always leave a simple notebook on my desk before I leave and after lying the trunk open on my bed and putting my father's cane, which I shrunk thanks to a special feature, the Thievius Raccoonus, my hat, hip-pouch and backpack in it.  
I then quickly roam through my room, packing a few other things that I know I will need in the days to come before I move over to my desk, making sure not to scrap the chair over the hardwooden floor before I pick up my own pen and open the notebook, tearing a few pieces of paper out of it before I start writing my second letter:

 _My dearest brother,  
It sincerely pains me to see all of these signs that indicate how you have awaited my return; alas my time in the Cooper Hideout is but a short one. I have lived a lie for the last month and the guilt I feel over that has made me believe I need to move on and start anew. I have packed all that is mine and by the time you read this, I will be on a plane, long gone.  
Why did I not ask you, Murray or the others to come with? Because you and the other members of the Cooper Gang have exactly what you always wanted. You have a perfect life, one with love, happiness and all of the things you love doing the most.  
You think you were the only one keeping an eye on me? Guess again. I have used Carmelita's computer countless times and have kept a close eye on all of you, thus I have clearly seen how happy Penelope makes you, how amazing your new laboratory is and how hard Murray is working to complete his training. I have also seen the rise to fame of Dimitri and how happy Jing King is to have her father back by her side to chose her future husband.  
I know, my friend, I know that all of you are doing things that can make sure you have a future that you deserve and this isn't the first time where I have wondered if being aligned with a Master Thief doesn't keep you from exactly those futures. Yet, this is still the last time I will have to worry about that as I let go of my past life.  
I let you go, my friend. I have worried you and made your nervous and anxious more times than I care to count, not to mention all the amazing amounts of trouble – with both other criminals and Interpol – I have caused you and all other members of the Cooper Gang, both old and new. I know everyone is happy now and that is what is most important to me.  
Don't worry, I'll find happiness as well. Perhaps not where I have always envisioned it, with you, my brothers or with my beloved Carmelita, but I have found a place where Coopers and their profession are a welcome treat.  
Take care, both of yourself and of our loved ones,_

 _Sly Cooper_

By now my writing hand is trembling, my other hand attempting to hold my writing arm steady is faring no better and there are several tearstains all over the paper, yet I wrap this letter up as well and place it in yet another Calling Card, putting the card itself in a small indent in the poles holding up my four-poster bed.  
I then move my hand over to another indent in the same pole and pull out a single plane ticket, one that has unlimited access to any flight of my choice, out of the indent, something I had placed there shortly after completely retrieving the Thievius Raccoonus and restoring honor to my family's name as this had been the first time I had started wondering.

I sigh as I put the ticket in the breast pocket of my blue shirt and then pluck my last blue cap and red hip pouch out of the brown wooden chest besides my bed, attaching the pouch to my left hip and adjusting the hat to fit my fur just right before I close off the trunk, take it from my bed and leave the room for the balcony.  
Again, with my foot firmly on the banister, do I feel my face turning back to the now empty room, the open drawers and closet doors clearly indicating that someone has emptied it and while new tears are streaming down my eyes, do I whisper: "Good luck, my brothers." Before jumping away, into the night sky and over to the airport.

 _ **Like I said, not happy!  
But I also said that the story would find happiness in due time and this is very much the truth. Bentley and Carmelita both find their respective letters at the same time the next morning and both instantly reach out to the other in an effort to find Sly and to bring the entire team – Carmelita included – back together.  
After this, they all keep themselves to the location Sly mentioned, the Cooper Vault gets fully restored and Sly uses all the techniques that he has learned from the Thievius Raccoonnus to teach Carmelita how to be a Master Thief and to gain himself stronger and stronger entrance into her heart as she confesses to return his love.  
**_ _ **Sappy, yes, amazing, YES,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	2. The Next Morning

_**The Next Morning  
**_ _ **Carmelita's POV**_

Just waking up makes me know something's wrong and makes me instantly on high alert for my surroundings, grabbing my shock-pistol even before I have so much as put on my slippers and keeping it locked and loaded as I leave my bedroom for the other sections of my house. Yet the letter I find is not what I expected.  
To see the rose and the blue and white Raccoon-faced calling card on it had instantly made me reload my Shock-pistol and rush for the Raccoon's bedroom, yet to find it empty had both angered, hurt and confused me and I had realized that I could only find my answers to all these confusing matters in the letter the Ringtail had left behind.  
This had not sit well with me and while I had grumbled about the cowardice of the Raccoon for only leaving me with a single letter and some pretty flower, had I still felt that there was more to the letter than just an apology and a goodbye and I had, with trepidation and low-boiling sense of anger returned to the letter left for me.  
The handwriting is clearly my now ex-partner's and the stains that have dried up on several spots all over the letter make the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach grow all the more, making me let go of my Shock-pistol as I take the letter to my living room and sit down on my favorite couch, feeling I will need its comfort.

And this feeling gets proven right as I read the whole entire letter the Raccoon has send me, the sincerity of his words hitting me to the deepest parts of my heart and the way he describes what happened on Kaine Island from his point of view making me remember the worry I had felt when first meeting him there.  
I feel shocked when reading how he only thought of me while being crushed like that and feel like cursing Bentley for allowing Sly out of bed when he was so obviously hurt, yet to hear that the Island held an ancestral vault to Cooper's line and that his cane was actually his father's had actually made me understand the Ringtail a little more.  
To read how the amnesia was actually only temporary and how Cooper had wanted to counter my statement that he was my partner, were it not for the crumbling cave makes me feel several emotions at once. The first of these being anger as I can't believe I have let myself be tricked like this by the Raccoon for so long.  
The second is an unwanted sense of gratitude at the fact that the Raccoon felt our safety more important than a petty lie from my side. The final had been a sense of defeat as I only now realize what it is that the Ringtail and I had fled from, making me feel horrible over the fact that I wanted to arrest him in his own family vault.

I then read the section where Sly admits the lie and where he describes himself as how he believes I see him and to see those harsh cruel words aimed at the Raccoon written by the Raccoon's own hand breaks my heart before I allow for some tears to fall out of my eyes when I read his assurance that he will leave my life for good.  
To then read what he actually thinks of me makes me almost crush the paper in my hands as I can no longer fight the tears and let them fall, hating myself as I only now realize why it was that I lied to Sly Cooper that day; because I have fallen head over heels in love with the honorable, gentle, noble and ever kind Raccoon.  
I crush the paper in my hand as I realize this and cry for several minutes, letting out all the pain that I feel now that the one man that stole my heart has left my life and when that thought crosses my mind, do I crush the paper in my hands for a different reason and hiss to myself: "No, I have never lost sight of Cooper and I won't stop now."

And with that do I fold the paper up, reread the section about Kaine Island and the community in order to memorize this for later and do I dress myself in my Interpol Uniform, but then without the necklace, badge and shock pistol holder, believing that this set will give off the right kind of message to those living at my target destination.  
I then jump in my car and, while knowing that I am not really on an official case, do I put my sirens on the top of my front hood and turn it on, the other cars parting as they hear my sirens scream their loud noise and me feeling glad for one thing more than anything that occurred the last month; that Sly actually talks in his sleep.  
It had happened 2 weeks ago and had actually made me hear where it was that the Cooper Raccoon had stationed his hideout. The fact that he spoke of this in his sleep had alarmed me as it made me believe that the Raccoon was recovering from his amnesia, but now I realize that it was the Raccoon's guilt that made him do this.  
This fact does nothing to make me feel better and while I sincerely hope that either his friends have stopped him or that they can locate him before he moves to this mystery location that I have never heard of in all my years of searching for the Raccoon, do I speed up my car as much as possible, determined to get back with Sly.

 _ **The Same Morning  
**_ _ **Bentley's POV**_

Waking up besides the love of your life is something I believe I only share with my dearest little brother, Sly, who has actually been blessed to have a chance of living with the girl of his own dreams, a woman I had never believed would even give my brother the time of day, but who has now been going steady with him for a month.  
The fact that, when I crawl out of my shell and gasp for breath, I actually wake to having Penelope curled around me, her tail actually somehow wrapped around the section where my tail sticks out was something I had been shocked with at first, but that is now a welcome sight to wake up to every morning for the last 3 weeks.  
I still miss Sly and Murray terribly, but Murray had been doing great on his training, Guru was constantly sending me small reports of his progress and I was keeping a constant eye on Dimitri, who was quickly rising to the top spot of Water Sport Stardom. I also kept in contact with Panda King, yet he had become reclusive yet again.

I then shake my head and get the last bits of sleep from my eyes before pressing a button on my bedside table that makes for two electrical arms to stick out of the wall besides my bed and pull me out of bed, Penelope curling further up on herself as she lets go off my shell and me getting settled back into my wheelchair.  
I give a happy, loving smile at my beloved, who I know will sleep for another hour or so, before gently rolling my wheelchair out of the room and over to the kitchen, before suddenly a shocking sight makes me stop halfway there. I roll back and with eyes that are wider than saucers look at my little brother's room.  
There are drawers pulled out and the cabinet with all of Sly's outfits is opened and empty, all of the drawers and closet doors blank of previously held products of clothing. I roll into the room with shock, wondering how this could have happened seeing my security system, which I constantly upgrade, and then spot it.

A single letter. A single letter that sticks out of one of the poles of Sly's bed, which is covered with his actual Calling Card and which is just high enough I don't need my robotic arms to reach it. I fear for what will be in the letter, yet roll over and take the letter out nonetheless, wishing Penelope to be awake as I feel like needing her right now.  
Then, as if my rodent lover has heard my thoughts or sensed my feelings, does she herself pass the room, her head sticking past the doorframe in confusion as she asks: "Bentley?" But I don't answer her as I notice how the lettering of the note is shaky at best and how the whole paper is covered in tearstains, making me feel even worse.  
My girlfriend walks in and asks: "What's wrong?" And then, in an act of cowardice, do I thrust the letter her way, turning my wheelchair around and fleeing from the room, which was obviously visited by my best friend and little brother without me even knowing it, simply because my security system recognized him as a home owner.

 _ **Penelope's POV**_

I don't know why, but for some reason did I feel myself waking up earlier than I usually do, yet not early enough that I wake before Bentley. Still, to find him in Sly's room only minutes after waking had not been a good sign in my book and the way that Bentley had given me the letter before wheeling off had worried me.  
I had inspected the letter given to me and had recognized the handwriting as that of my old leader, the lettering itself showing to be very sloppy and shaky, making me wonder what could have gone through the Cooper Gang Leader's head when he wrote this and the tearstains that accompany this making me feel worried.

Still, I had not felt right to read this letter when the opening sentence was clearly describing Bentley and instead of that do I decide that Bentley and I should read this together, him doing the reading part and me being there for him when he finds out just what made Sly make the rash, painful decision he seems to have made.  
I walk out of the room, the way it looks emptied and abandoned giving me a strong sense of foreboding and enter the living room, where I find Bentley gazing at one of the pictures that shows him, Sly and Murray. To see my boyfriend just sitting there with that hurtful expression on his face wounds me and I whisper:

"It's for you, Bentley." But Bentley pulls his head away and I walk over to him, lying the letter on the table part of Bentley's wheelchair before climbing onto the vehicle myself, Bentley wrapping his small arms around me in a tight manner proving his inner pain and I lovingly whisper: "Open it, I'm here for you."  
Bentley smiles at me gratefully and then, with trembling hands, does he open the letter, me reading along with him and feeling deeply hurt by what I read. The first part of the letter describes the room and what Sly feels as he had seen it, along with a short start of the explanation as to why his room looks like it does now.  
The next part opens with the question of why Sly didn't ask any of us to come along and to read how he had seen us making the best out of our lives without him in it had made me feel deeply pained as his earlier words actually prove that we should have worked harder to find him; that we should have supported him as he wounded himself.

Bentley then laughs softly and shortly when Sly comments on how they had actually both spied on each other and while the pain of how we had abandoned our leader when he needed us most still hurts me, can I not help but smile at all the evidence that Sly uses as he describes what the team has done over the last month.  
My heart then breaks when I read how Sly – not the for the first time – has actually wondered if his family legacy could be hurtful to the future of his gang members and while hating how someone like him can think that, do I still feel pride in my heart grow for the amazing and noble person that is the Leader of my gang.  
Bentley and I then read of how Sly says goodbye to us, how he apologizes for the pain, nervousness, anxiety and amounts of problematic situations with different factors in the world and with both old and new gang members he believes he caused my boyfriend and this alone makes my heart tear up even worse at how my leader must be feeling.  
To then read how he felt sure that he would find happiness and how it won't be where he always dreamed of it being makes me just break down, making me push my face in Bentley's neck while the turtle seems to have trouble reading the final part of the letter before he throws it away and cradles me, crying as hard as I am.

For dozens of minutes do we stay like this and while I take comfort out of the presence of my partner in life and crime does this hideout now feel even emptier than before either Murray, Dimitri or Panda King left and I realize that, until now, the heartfelt presence of our leader had always been dwindling along these walls.  
Then suddenly before I can fully phantom that, does a harsh knock break me out of my stupor, making Bentley almost jump out of his wheelchair and making us both look at the door of our hideout in shock, our shock greatening when we hear the voice of the one person we thought our leader was living a happy life with.  
Carmelita Fox is standing at our door, fisting her hand against it and shouting: "Bentley! I know you're in there! Please! Let me in! Tell me Sly's still with you! Please, I have to see him! You have to let me see him! Please Bentley, let me in. Let me see my Ringtail." And just by the despair in her tone, do I feel my heart reach out to hers.

Bentley sighs and rolls over, opening the door slowly and painfully admitting: "Stop wasting your breath, Carmelita. Sly's not here. He left a letter and packed his things. I – I have no idea where he is. I only finished the letter he wrote me just a – an hour ago, really?" He then asks in shock, yet I can't blame the turtle.  
And neither, apparently, can Carmelita as she shows us a letter of her own and says: "Yeah, I read mine a good two hours ago. I – I just – I want to hate that Ringtail for leaving me only a – a letter, but – but –." The fox ends softly and I whisper back: "But the pain he wrote about is still clearly felt within your own heart, right?"  
The Fox nods, her eyes thanking me for my empathy and says: "Listen, this letter makes me realize something, something that was the actual reason I told Sly he was my partner and – and while I find it cowardice of Sly to just leave us with some letters do I know one thing." At this Bentley and I share a glance and then the turtle asks:

"He might give up on us, but we won't on him?" A smile actually returning to his face as he ends this question and the question itself making a confident smile appear on the Fox's face before she asks: "Bentley, have you ever seen me give up on that leader of yours?" Making Bentley's smile widen as I can't help but giggle.  
Carmelita then hands Bentley the letter and says: "It probably won't say anything that you haven't read in your own letter, but Sly did mention some kind of community that lives close to that Kaine Island he was at a month ago; one where the community actually accepts his ways as a Master Thief and all that?"  
This shocks and amazes me and Bentley says: "He only told us how he had found a place where the Coopers and their profession are welcome. I – I can't believe he would leave you such an obvious hint." But at this I can't help but think: "He certainly wouldn't leave it with Bentley seeing he knows my turtle's skills with tracking."

But then shake that thought of as Carmelita had proven herself just as talented and I say: "I'm guessing Sly was expecting for Carmelita to be so angry at the actual lie of amnesia still being a thing that she would overlook the actual hint of his new residence and just take the advice he gives her of moving on with her life."  
At this Carmelita looks at me with hurt evident in her eyes and I quickly say: "I'm only saying this because your temper is much more violate. Sly must have been counting on that and knew Bentley wouldn't be that violate and might even use his tracking skills, which match with yours, to overcome his emotions and find Sly."  
Carmelita nods and Bentley opens his laptop, typing in several things and muttering under his breath. Having seen my beloved do this a few times before now while we were building our laboratory, do I smile widely at my partner, feeling my hurt and pain settle for confidence and strength; strength to find Sly once again.

* * *

 _ **There we go!  
**_ _ **Chapter two and the two teams have joined together in their effort to find their leader and beloved. I wasn't, at first, planning to put Penelope's POV in the chapter as I still have some troubles with her seeing Sly 4, but it just felt better that way and I didn't want to do two direct POV's reading almost similar looking letters.  
**_ _ **Where did Sly base his assumptions on Carmelita's temper on? Sly 4! I know it hasn't happened yet, but Sly bases this on things I have already seen happen and the way Carmelita stayed angry with Sly all the way to the end of the Caveman Era was pretty much my inspiration to make Sly believe this.  
**_ _ **Next chapter will gather the Cooper members back together and make Bentley find out where Sly has gone. I just want to warn you all that this island will have an OC name. You will not find it on any world map, it doesn't actually exist, I just thought the name was catchy and it stuck until I started writing this story.  
**_ _ **Okay, enjoy,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	3. Finding Sly

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **New chapter and I decided to keep the hurt/comfort category up for just a little white longer. Why? Because it makes the story that much better once the turn around to happy, loving life and family comes up. So expect some more problems this chapter and a little something you wouldn't ever think Sly would willingly do.  
**_ _ **Cause he does it,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **Carmelita's POV**_

It's kind of unbelievable, but it took Bentley three days to find Sly and even then he only found out about Reolu island, because of two articles showing up in the local newspaper; one about Sly's arrival and one about how the crime lord of Reolu island considered Sly's arrival as a threat and a challenge, something that worried us to say the least.  
During the time that the turtle was searching, had Penelope gathered the rest of the Cooper Gang back together, all of them instantly leaving their homes when they heard about the written decision of their Leader and I had decided to gather some people of my own; not any Interpol inspectors, but my own mum and dad.  
Both of them had always been supportive of me and had actually managed to sneak me several packages of food and cloths when I was considered a fugitive and because of this had I hoped I could tell them about my feelings for the Master Thief without disappointing them – they had proven my hopes to be correct.

Both of them had definitely been disappointed that I had lied to a criminal and they even felt that Sly's departure was a good punishment for this, yet they had also understood and accepted my need to have that Ringtail back in my life and had even given me their blessing to join the Cooper Gang if that was what I desired.  
Bentley and Murray had been shocked to hear my parents say this, but I had waved the offer away and said: "I only want Sly. If he wants me on the team, I'll join, but I don't want to make decisions that aren't mine to make." And with those words had I earned myself a little bit more trust from the members of the Cooper Gang.

After finding Sly's article in the Reolu newspaper, had I instantly used the connections in Interpol that I had made over the years I worked there and while Barkley wasn't happy that I was leaving on a mission without disclosing the identities of my new co-workers, had he accepted my excuse that they were the best in tracking down Sly.  
I had felt slightly bad for not telling him that I was actually working with the Cooper Gang to find a member of the Cooper Gang, yet Barkley had been more than willing to lend me a private plane that allowed for Murray's van to come along as Murray had taken the van when he came here and told us how it could make us find Sly faster.  
None of us had been able to argue that, but now – now that we are two days later and traveling to the island Sly wrote about in both his letters – do I feel my heartbreak lessen and my fears worsening as the description of the crime lord living at Reolu had scared the living daylights out of me and even out of Dimitri and Murray.

I lean one of my arms on the window sill of the plane we're in, the van being stored in the storage room that is located at the back of the plane and while the white clouds block my vision from the world below me, do I wish I was already at the island itself and wish that I was behind the controls, if only to speed everything up.  
Bentley, who by Interpol had been allowed his own space in the aisles of seats, then lies his hand on mine and says: "Sly will be fine. We'll track him down, take him to a safe place and remind him that the decision to part as friends should come from both sides, not just one." At this I smile, but then worry over takes me again and I ask:  
"What about that Crime lord? According to his file he's been running the show on that island for over 20 years and even while the people there love the Cooper gang, do I fear that –." Bentley nods and says: "Yeah, he won't make it easy for Sly to make a new life, but I know Sly and I doubt he will let that take him down."  
And while I really with all my heart want to believe the turtle and share in the confidence that he has in his friend and gang leader, can I not help but shake off the terrible feeling of dread that is boiling deep within my stomach, almost telling me without words that when the team and I do find Sly, none of us will like what we find.

 _ **2 hours later**_

It didn't take the pilot as long as I had expected to reach Reolu island and after my conversation with Bentley had I started to ignore the feeling of dread that was swirling through my mind and body. This had actually made me feel as if we were flying much faster than before, yet the arrival had still taken quite a long while.  
This was mostly because the men I was working with that helped me get here, were suddenly confused and shocked when they recognized the van and I had to use some of my more well-placed connections to make them keep their mouths shut to Barkley, telling them pretty much everything that occurred over the last month.  
The two officers had been shocked, but then the one on the left, which was a wild-furred terrier, had told me that, because we were on Reolu Island, I had no reason to fear for my job just because I was in association with the Cooper gang. I had felt relieved about this and had taken the officer's tip to go check out the local police department.

There, while the officers were very, very happy to meet with the Cooper gang, had we all been disappointed to hear that Sly had yet to do anything to warrant his arrest, yet the confirmation that he was here had been enough. The problem? As we left the station, did I suddenly notice how 2 officers were sharing dark looks together.  
This had worried me and I had reported it to the gang, making them all share worried looks and making me have a good look around the area where we were located. This had made me suddenly notice how there was a large crowd stationed at the other side of the plaza and how there were all kinds of acrobatic tools there as well.  
This had confused me as I couldn't quite understand why anyone would put street performers so close to a police station and I had walked over, the gang following me and all of them having the same curiosity shown on their faces as I felt within me, even if the curiosity was warring strongly with the raging dread in my stomach.

And that dread was proven true as just before we had fully crossed the plaza and arrived at the street performer had the person performing his tricks made a jump and had I stopped in absolute shock as just that one jump gave me enough time to recognize him. Grey fur, a black mask, a grey furred tail with black-ringed stripes on it.  
My beloved Sly was on the other side of the police station, performing his Cooper legacy stunts as if he was a common street artist and by the look on his face can I conclude that this isn't the first time he has been doing this, something that makes me dash for the Ringtail as I just can't believe that that crime lord degraded him to this.  
I push and clash myself through the ever growing crowd and when two gigantic bull dogs block my path, do I rage out, grabbing my Interpol badge and Shock-pistol and shouting: "Interpol! Out of my way! NOW!" The two bulldogs part like the Red sea and so do all those before them, making me get a clear image of Sly.

And that image makes my heart turn to stone and sink down my body, through my toes and into the deepest pits of the earth. Sly's grey fur is mangled, covered in tangles and bits of dried up blood and his mask actually hides one of his swollen eyes, while there are torn bandages around his left lower leg and right hand.  
All in all the amazing, powerful leader of the Cooper Gang that has always been able to avoid my capture and defeat even the Fiendish Five and the Claw Gang, now looks as if he just came out of the wrong end of a bull fight and the way there are old pieces of fabric stuck to his fur and he wobbles on his two feet worries me even more.  
The raccoon looks at me, his eyes dull and dark and one of them even looking as if he's been punched seven times in two minutes, yet while locking my eyes with his, do I see a spark of recognition, before pain and defeat cloud the brown eyes yet again. I quickly glance at Bentley and tell him with my eyes to play along as I say:

"Sly Cooper, you may have escaped to Reolu Island, but even the police here can't clear your record. Care to take the hit for your team a 2nd time? If so, come with me and come with me now." At this Sly cringes harshly and while I really want to rush over and embrace that poor thing, do I keep my facial features clear of my actual emotions.  
The Raccoon then sighs and mutters: "That's the last of me, folks. Care for some food I can munch on while in prison?" And to my shock does he use his bandaged hand to flip his hat off his head, the whole thing looking as bad as its owner, while many of those around me awe at the Raccoon and hand over some of their fruits.  
Taking a deep breath in order to keep up appearances, do I walk over, slap a single handcuff on the Raccoon's undamaged arm and the other on my own and then lead the Ringtail out, only to be stopped at the outer edge of the crowd by a younger lion girl that grabs onto my skirt and stops me in my tracks as she says:

"Missy police woman, ma'am. Will you be good to Mr. Cooper sir, please. His family –." But then, because her words almost break me from my acting skills, do I lie a hand on her soft fur and whisper: "I know, little one, I know." Giving her a quick and silent _trust me_ wink before gently pulling Cooper along and moving on.  
To my relief does it seem that Bentley was already onto my plan as he has made it look as if all his friends, even Panda King, are in a series of chains that are linked together and kind of remind me of the time I was arrested by the Contessa alongside Cooper and Murray, while dad had his hand on one end of the actual chain.  
I nod at my dad and say: "Let's head for our headquarters." The man nods and while Sly sends a hurt and devastated look at his friends, do I make sure to lead him, his team and my parents around several blocks and roads, taking a few forks here and there and finally ending up back at the other side of the police station.

By this time, Sly seems weary, tired and confused and his good eye widens when he sees me leading him and the team to the van, Murray handing me the key and me opening the back doors before ushering them all in. I then lean out the back, survey my surroundings and close the doors again, taking a deep breath of relief as I do.  
Bentley and the others then quickly unbuckle their shackles, making me smile in relief as he says: "Good thing Dimitri has some weird party ideas sometimes. What were you planning with those chains anyway?" And while the Iguana says: "They make for good home-decorations, bro." Do I turn to Sly.  
The Raccoon is looking around the van in confusion and devastation and I ask: "You think that crime lord will believe you to be imprisoned after the whole walk we just took, Ringtail?" The Raccoon looks at me shocked and Bentley says: "He better, I'm almost in need of new wheelchair tires after that long trek."

"What are you guys even doing here? And – and how did you find me?" Sly then asks, his voice cracked and proving that he has been hit in either the lunges or his vocal cords and Panda King seems the one to provide the answer as he says: "When a team disbands it is only because all members agree it to be the right decision.  
We agreed that all of us, including you, were better off where we were, but that was a mistake on our part, not yours. You should not suffer because we misjudged the happiness we believed you had found with your partner." And when Sly looks around at the rest of us, do we all nod, all of us smiling at the man of our lives.  
I then undo his handcuff and gently grab his other hand, the wince the Ringtail tries to hide making me worry for him as I gently undo the bandage and my eyes widen when I see just how badly the hand has been hurt as several of his fingers are bent in all the wrong ways and there are blisters all over the palm of his hand.

My own hand starts to tremble as I gently touch the wounds on his hand and then Sly winces again, just when I pull away, making me look up before I notice something below me. I look down and see that Penelope has done the same to Sly's lower leg, the appendage there looking even worse than his actual hand.  
The fur on Sly's leg is completely gone and there are several pieces of something red and sticky that I can't identify as blood stuck to his skin, while at other parts of his lower leg there are cuts that are obviously caused by a very blunt knife, making my eyes widen as all of my fears about that crime lord seem to be proven correct by that sight.  
Instantly I do the only thing I can think of and embrace Sly, hiding my tears in his fur and wrapping my arms around his form as if wanting to protect him with my body from the pain he has suffered. Sly tenses at this, but while I feel relieved at the realization that this isn't from pain but from shock, do I firmly whisper:

"I am never letting you out of my sight again." Which finally seems to slap Sly awake and makes him embrace me with trembling arms, the shaking of his appendages proving to me that he has yet to realize the reality of this all and I mutter to Murray: "Get us somewhere safe." Making the Hippo nod and take the steering wheel.  
I make sure that Sly is seated close to me, with Penelope en Bentley close to us and all throughout the journey that Murray makes throughout the small town of Reolu, does Sly just look down, his eyes far and distant and proving that the Ringtail is having a lot of mental and emotional trouble grasping onto the fact that he is safe once more.  
Then suddenly, as we drive away from the police station, does the Raccoon whisper something that I can only just discern as: "My car – my stuff – the Raccoonus." And instantly Murray stops and Dimitri says: "Keys, Main Man." And while I glare at him, does Sly meekly hand him the keys and does he jump out before Murray drives on.  
Then finally, after a good twenty minutes in which the Raccoon's distant gaze and silence are worrying me more and more, does Murray pull to a gentle stop and does he gaze through his side window before he asks: "This any good?" And Penelope seems to inspect the building, giving a thumbs up as she sees it.

A few minutes later have we all stationed ourselves in an abandoned two-story warehouse that has a large open room in the middle of the house, the room itself having a connection to the upper floor through a series of railings and two circular shaped staircases that are stationed in opposite corners of the room.  
In the large room itself there are several benches, couches and chairs that could definitely do with some refreshment and remodeling, yet because we have only just arrived here and because no one has the intention of just staying in the van, did Murray manage to park it in an indoor garage that was at the back of the house.  
Dimitri had come in shortly afterwards, the car he's driving in a very nice convertible that has strange brown pieces of fabric stuck to several parts and has only one suitcase, Sly's cane and a small, thin blanket stationed inside it. I look from the strange parts to Dimitri and he says: "They're from the windshield against the rain."

We then inspected the building and while Dimitri, Guru and Panda King continued doing so after finding the large room, did Bentley, Murray, Penelope, my parents and I lead Sly over to one of the softer more undamaged looking couches and did we seat the poor thing down, yet when he sat did I suddenly notice something else.  
Sly's tail, which he had held behind him the entire journey, is now wrapped around his thinned waist – proving he hasn't eaten much the entire time he's been here – and to my shock is a red wire strapped all around the fur of the tail, while there are some parts broken off this wire and small electrical wires are sticking out at these points.

"Sly, how – how long has –?" I ask in horrified fear, but Sly doesn't answer me, using his unhurt hand to softly stroke the fur on his tail that isn't caught up in the wire before suddenly a small dart hits him in the neck and he falls down instantly, his even breathing making me realize he's asleep and making me shout: "BENTLEY!"  
But the Turtle just lowers his weapon and says: "Sly's in shock, Carmelita, and I've seen him be in shock once before. Him stroking his tail? That's a clear sign he is trying to reign in emotions he doesn't want others to see. He's a Master Thief, Carmelita, and Master Thieves are trained not to show certain emotions all the time."  
At this I want to argue that putting Sly down like this isn't the right option, but just by hearing how Sly has been in shock before and that this was the reason Bentley shot him with the sleep dart, do I sigh instead and ask: "What happened last time?" The turtle sighs himself, proving me the worst and he says:

"It was three months after he met you, Carmelita, and – and Murray, Sly and I – we were preparing for our fights against the Fiendish Five." At this I nod, remembering how that event ended with me arresting four out of five of the members and how Sly kissed and then shackled me to the bridge on top of the mountain.  
"Sly was trying this by searching for what he at the time thought was the only legacy left to him by his ancestors; small vaults that were spread across the globe and signified where certain ancestors had lived." I nod again, easily capable of seeing Sly do such a thing seeing all he – only a month ago – was willing to do for the Cooper Vault.  
"Well, we found one of them and – and it was busted open. The whole thing looked to have been handled by Muggshot a good seven times or so, it was that bad and – and Sly, he – he got so angry over the fact that those thugs had first killed his parents and then started ravaging his legacy even further away from him."

This makes me look at the sleeping Raccoon in great pain and worry, only part of me feeling like I can understand how that must have felt to the poor thing and Bentley sighs as he says: "Sly got so emotional by seeing that, Carmelita, he shut down on his own feelings. Managed that for a good two weeks and then – started rubbing his tail."  
The way the turtle says that makes a shiver run down my spine and makes my mum ask: "What happened?" Bentley sighs again and says: "Two weeks after Sly found that safe, did we locate a bunch of goons that were trying to become a criminal gang in Paris – and we discovered they got the money to do so –."  
But while the turtle ends, can I already guess where he is going and do I say: "By stealing from various safes of Sly's family." Bentley nods and says: "That gang needed a good 3 week stay in the hospital before the doctors allowed for them to be taken by Interpol. And even then all they muttered about was a raging ghost."

This shocks me as I actually remember being on the force that transferred a bunch of thugs saying similar things around that time and the way they had looked, even three weeks after being healed, had shocked me, yet I had never – in all my years knowing him – made the link between the attack on them and my most important case.  
"That was Sly's work?" I ask in shock and Bentley nods as he says: "It was and Sly was fully in his right as they were planning to become just the wrong kind of criminal gang. Not kidnappers, not thieves, not swindlers. No, they planned to use Sly's family money – to become rapists dealing in illegal, kidnapped prostitutes."  
Instantly all the pieces fall into place and I look down at the sleeping raccoon, memories of how gentle and noble he always was and how he always fought for the honor of others, whether it was his family against the Fiendish Five or the safety of the Parisians against the Claw Gang and I whisper: "No wonder he went mad on them."

Bentley nods and says: "Sly couldn't stand it. He saw them trade out some of the gems he knew they had stolen from one of his vaults, grabbed his cane and before either Murray or I knew what was going on, had Sly knocked both the seller and the buyer out and did he start ramming into all those involved, bar the kidnapped victims.  
They just got terribly scared off by how furious he looked and we never saw them again, but by the end of it all was Sly trembling on his feet, was I calling 911 out of fear for the thugs' lives and did Murray actually run out of the van to knock Sly out, only so he wouldn't go against the cops that were sure to arrest those bastards.  
Murray then loaded Sly into the passenger's seat and, scared as he was, did he actually go around the entire warehouse those idiots were staying and did he take whatever he felt either belonged to Sly's family or that Sly would like to have. Speaking of which –." Bentley then says and he hums as Murray nods and says:

"We need some gold." Making me look shocked and Bentley says: "When Sly came to, we had him surrounded by the gold and jewels Murray had collected. His eyes had still been feral with the anger he felt for those thugs, but when he saw what he was surrounded by, did greed enter his eyes and then they turned to normal.  
That was the last time we ever saw Sly lose control like that, but – well, I guess he's just not as happy to see us as we thought he'd be." The turtle sighs, but then tenses in feared shock as I suddenly feel the Raccoon in my lap move and hear his dark suave voice grunt in pain before a pair of dark, wild brown eyes open up to me.

* * *

 _ **Wow, problem!  
**_ _ **Okay, so I added the little thing I have in one of my story plans into a background story for Sly. Big deal! I don't plan to have Sly turn feral here, I just wanted to pose some drama into the tale and like I said; things will only get worse before they get better in this story, so Sly waking up after nearly losing control – fits the bill.  
**_ _ **Now, like I said before, Sly will not lose control upon waking up. Why, you ask? Take another look at my chapter and what I write about Sly while Bentley tells his story. I won't say more but it has to do with the current Sly, not the one being told about in the story. I'm sure those that read well will get the hint.  
**_ _ **Enjoy,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	4. Sly's Heart And Fear

_**Yes, it was Carmelita!  
**_ _ **Now, I know I don't really give you a lot of time to make this guess as I am posting this chapters in second's work, but I just had to open this chapter with that sentence. I couldn't help myself and I have no intention of taking it back. It's just too catchy a chapter-starter, sue me! Not really, you know I'm joking, right?  
**_ _ **RIGHT?**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **Sly's POV**_

The last few days have been nothing short of hell. I was able to get to Reolu Island, get to a pawn shop and that was pretty much where everything went downhill. The pawnshop was actually owned by my old enemy, Mugshot, and while he was willing to sell me a car in trade for some of my treasure, did the good times end there.  
Getting to Reulo Island should have meant the end of all of my troubles, yet it only took me a few hours to discover that I couldn't be more wrong. My ancestors have not visited Reolu Island in over 150 years and in that time, did a different family of gangsters decide that they would become the new powerhouses in town.  
Now this didn't seem like a problem to me at first and I had actually reveled in the chance to prove to the people of this community that the Cooper Family was back in action, yet in my need to do so, had I overlooked one very vital step of action; I had forgotten to do reconnaissance and find out the level of influence my enemy had on town.

And that influence was more than I had anticipated, making it so that when I confronted the big man and told him that this town belonged to the Cooper Gang, he had only laughed and asked me where this so-called Gang was at. That had struck me emotionally and it had been enough for the bastard to take me out.  
The worst part of it all, he had not done so single-handedly. He had actually heard – ahead of time – of my arrival to town and had even threatened the police of town to send their buffest most fierce looking agents his way or there would be hell to pay. And those agents had gone down on me alongside all of the bastard's little lackeys.  
And those lackeys were anything but little and in the end, I had been beaten, tasered, my ribs broken, my lunges punched a good 4 dozen times, several parts of my fur pulled forcefully from my skin and the rest of my body punched into a mangled bunch of ribs, bones, intestines and blood, coughing more than breathing.

The crime lord had then even worsened my state, telling me I could keep my car and my life if I agreed to come working for him. I had asked him why and he had told me: "Because I have new plans for the Cooper tricks." And while I had silently sworn to one day use those tricks against him, had I agreed to his terms.  
Great Gods, do I wish I had not done so. The crime lord had definitely come true to his word and while the agents that worked for the police offered me both small bits of food as well as a large clothe with which I could cover myself and my car during the night, had they also been sworn into silence about my identity by the crime lord.  
He had then plastered posters of what he wanted me to do all over the plaza where the police station was located and while his thugs kept guard at every entrance street to the plaza, was I used as local entertainment, my tricks and techniques now nothing more than a show to entertain those walking across the plaza.

Yet, while I had felt humiliated, while I had felt hurt, starved and had often returned to my car trembling in hunger and exhaustion, had I been constantly waking up the next morning, feeling just that little bit stronger both physically as well as mentally and that made me know that my secret plan was working after all.  
Sure, last night I had fallen asleep in my car, the clothe covering the vehicle being the only thing that actually kept my dry from the raging storm that had decided to cross the island and the darkness of the night actually making me wonder if I wouldn't be dead before I got stronger, yet I had shaken this thought away and had fallen asleep.

That had been last night and this morning, while performing some of my – by now – more usual tricks and stunts had I been shocked to near death when I suddenly saw those stunning brown eyes looking at me, me actually spotting Carmelita long before I made the jump that made her capable of recognizing me as well.  
The sight of the amazing vixen had startled me and almost made me lose focus, yet I had been able to save myself and had felt horrible when suddenly two bulldogs – which I recognized from my fight – stepped in to block the vixen on her path. At this I had wanted to turn around and continue my act when suddenly they parted.  
The shock and fear that was on their faces had startled me and when I looked past them, had I felt as if I was in Déjà vu. Carmelita Montoya Fox stood before me, her shock pistol aimed at the crowds keeping us apart and her brown eyes shining with a fire of determination, her angelic voice strong and professional as she said:  
"Sly Cooper, you may have escaped to Reolu Island, but even the police here can't clear your record. Care to take the hit for your team a 2nd time? If so, come with me and come with me now." The thought of my gang having already been caught by the fox had made me cringe and, because of the night before, had I given in.

The fox had cuffed my undamaged hand and had wanted to leave with me, before being stopped by a little girl. I had been unable to stand hearing the begging tone in her voice and had, afterwards, felt as if I had missed something important as Carmelita had spoken to the little girl before she had guided me over to my team.  
There I had seen the evidence of her words as all of them were chained up, even Guru and Panda King, who I thought had been out of the country and unable to be found by the Inspector and while the fox holding the chain attached to my friends had looked familiar, had the beating of the week before made me unwilling to take another fight.  
I had followed the fox and her unfamiliar co-workers, not even feeling strong enough to look at my friends or feeling the need to silently message them with just glances, not feeling strong enough to encourage them that things would be alright or mentally stable enough to tell them to come up with a plan of escape.  
Instead of that had I kept my face to the ground, not wanting to look at anything as I just didn't feel worthy of it anymore. Some hotshot crime lord had taken over the one country where my family had found a welcome home in the hands of the community, I had failed to beat him and now my friends were arrested.

Because of all these depressing thoughts had I been beyond shocked and confused when, instead of taking us to the police station like I had expected, Carmelita had instead taken me and my friends to a very, very familiar blue van, Murray actually willingly giving her the key and her opening the back door for us all.  
The whole gang and the mysterious companions of my dearest beloved had all gotten onto the van and Carmelita had aided me as we were still chained together before Bentley had shocked me dearly by actually undoing the chains from himself and the others, causing for Carmelita to smile in relief before the turtle said:  
"Good thing Dimitri has some weird party ideas sometimes. What were you planning with those chains anyway?" And while I barely hear the Iguana Party Master defend his chains with some comment about decorations, does the lovely voice of my beautiful ex-partner warm my weary heart as she cleverly asks:

"You think that crime lord will believe you to be imprisoned after the whole walk we just took, Ringtail?" And while the thought of the crime lord and facing him again scares me like crazy, do I not let this show as I feel just too shocked at hearing the worrying care in her voice before Bentley interrupts my thoughts and says:  
"He better, I'm almost in need of new wheelchair tires after that long trek." And while normally this would have made me laugh at my friend, can I still not fathom the idea that they are actually all here and while using what little I have left of my voice, do I ask: "What are you guys even doing here? And – and how did you find me?"  
And Panda King answers: "When a team disbands it is only because all members agree it to be the right decision. We agreed that all of us, including you, were better off where we were, but that was a mistake on our part, not yours. You should not suffer because we misjudged the happiness we believed you had found with your partner."

And while part of me wonders if they know anything of what I've been through the last week do I suddenly feel as I am walking on clouds of heaven as I feel Carmelita touching me again, first undoing the chain that was still around my wrist – the one the crime lord didn't break during our fight – before focusing on the other.  
This alone makes me wince as I really don't want the beautiful delicate mind of my beloved scarred by the sight of my paw, a sight that almost made me faint when I first saw it myself after my fight and while I feel like tearing myself a new one at how her hands start to tremble after undoing the bandage do I suddenly feel something.  
A pair of hands, not quite as gentle as Carmelita's, are trying to undo the bandage around my leg and while I wish she would stop as Penelope's hands are constantly pressing against very painful points of my skin and still frayed nerves, do I instead with my gaze try and fail to keep Carmelita from looking down at my leg.

The fox looks down, sees how I had to shave off the fur of my leg if only to get to the cuts the brutes working for the crime lord caused me that day as they had been only too happy to cut my leg with various blunt knifes while one of them sat on me to keep me from fighting them or the pain and the fur has yet to grow back.  
Not only that, but there are also parts of one of my old hip pouch, which I had used to stem any unnecessary bleeding, stuck to various parts of my leg and just the sight of how my appendage looks doesn't make Carmelita turn around or attempt to keep in her most recent meal; instead it makes her hug me with strength and care.  
The feeling of those caring arms around my neck once again, to feel Carmelita trying to encase me with her body as if silently telling me that I'm safe and that she'll protect me are feelings I just don't want to believe are real, but then her voice breaks through me again as she says: "I am never letting you out of my sight again."

And just by the determined, caring tone of her voice, do I finally – truly – realize that my friends are really here, that Carmelita is really here. At this I do the only thing I can in order for me not to burst out in tears of joyous pain and guilty relief; I wrap my trembling arms around the one fox that has always had my heart.  
Carmelita apparently feels how badly I'm trembling and takes it the wrong way, believing me to be in pain as she turns to Murray and mutters: "Take us somewhere safe." But just when the Big Guy has sat himself behind the steering wheel, do I realize that everything I have ever loved materially is in my car and I whisper hoarsely:  
"My car – my stuff – the Raccoonus." At this Murray stops as quickly as he had started driving and while part of me wants to get to my car and away from my friends before they can get hurt by the crime lord, does Dimitri take this thought out of my mind as he speaks with the voice of a leader and says: "Keys, Main Man."  
At this I take the only thing I had dared to put on me before leaving for my new job out of my shirt pocket and hand it over, not even caring for how Carmelita is glaring at the old forger as he jumps out of the van and hides in the shadows, the last thing I get to see of him before the van doors close again and Murray rides off.

Fearing for how, by now, those thugs that were guarding the street exits must have already found and raided my car – maybe even destroyed it – do I barely realize that we continue driving all over the island as all I can think of is in what state we will find either Dimitri or my car – if the crime lord even allows us to find them.  
These thoughts worry and terrify me and while I don't, at first, realize that we have stopped driving and started walking again, does the soft tissue of an old couch under my legs and ass make me realize that we must have found some kind of safe house. This, however, scares me as I am fairly certain that _he_ knows of all safe houses around town.  
This makes me think of new scenarios, but then ones where the crime lord sends his lackeys not to destroy my car, but to attack my friends and loved ones and the images of what could happen to them spur through my mind, making me feel the same kind of mental, emotional pain I have only felt once before in my life.  
Realizing when that was scares me even more, but before I can do anymore than stroke the fur of my tail and widen my eyes, do I suddenly feel something hitting me in the shoulder, some kind of substance mixing itself with my blood and while silently thanking my friend, do I allow for sleep to befall me at long last.

* * *

 _ **I could stop here, you know?  
**_ _ **I mean, this sounds like a pretty good explanation of everything Sly has been through since he reached the island, so ending it here would sound reasonable, right? Well, I won't. Why, you ask? Because of the AN at the top of this chapter. It speaks of what happens when Sly wakes, so we will continue here with his waking.  
**_ _ **Enjoy,**_

* * *

I feel myself waking up again, the emotions I had been feeling before somehow having fought off the substance of Bentley's sleep darts and making me wake long before I know Bentley had planned for me to wake up and while, at my senses waking up, I can also feel my emotions starting to rage through me again, do I also feel something else.  
Something soft, something feminine, something that feels so divine to my touch, I can barely resist the need to cuddle up to whatever it is, to wrap my whole body around the delicious form of warmth and purr as if to express how happy I am to have this source of feminine power and divine softness so close to my form.  
Instead of that, do I open my eyes and instantly upon doing so, do I realize with a shock what it is that I am lying against, or better said, who's lap I am lying on. Dark azure blue hair that looks black in the right kind of light, chocolate brown eyes, a fair orange colored fur, the sweetest little nose that moves as she looks down at me.

Carmelita Montoya Fox. The inspector that has, for so long, attempted to capture me. The woman that gave me a chance I have, before, only been able to dream of. The goddess I have dishonored by lying to her for a full month before deciding I just didn't deserve a chance by her side. The sweetest princess of my dreams looks down upon me.  
To see that beauty, that divine gorgeousness look down on me from atop those perfectly toned and still slim-looking shoulders and that firm neck makes me almost lose control of the emotions inside of me and yet, when our eyes meet, can I feel all of my fear, all of my worry and all of my guilt actually ebb away from me.  
Instead of that do new thoughts enter my mind. _"She's here. She's gorgeous. She came back to me. She came to find me. Her eyes. Is – is that love?"_ This last thought confuses and shocks me and while I link my amber brown eyes with her chocolate brown ones, do I realize with a start that my thoughts are right.

Love. Such a simple yet powerful emotion that makes Carmelita's eyes shine like the finest of chocolate, one that is just being made and of which the cacao is still fluid and shiny, shines down at me from those deep, gorgeous irises and while feeling all of my other feelings ebb away, am I unable to resist my instincts.  
Instincts driven by the thought process my mind just went through. Instincts inspired by the emotion I see flowing in those dark, delicious depths. Instincts that just make me reach up, make my hands curl themselves around the fur of Carmelita's cheeks and makes me pull her lips close to mine, kissing her with all that I am.  
All the love I have felt for her since I first met her. All of the devotion I felt every time where either her life was in peril or where she just needed the help of either me or my gang. All of the loyalty I have felt for her whenever I had a chance to meet her. All these emotions I try to convey to the fox through this one single kiss.

Yet when I don't feel her tense in anger, feel her hand rushing out to slap me away or feel her body trembling in boiling rage, do I wonder if perhaps I stunned the beautiful fox and while trying to gather enough energy within me to go back to my old self, do I pull away from the fox of my dreams and ask her smoothly:  
"Am I dreaming or are you just too gorgeous to be real?" And while I am actually waiting for a rage, a shout or a slap, does the reaction of the fox startle me as instead of any of the above, she actually shouts: "SLY!" And wraps her arms around me, hugging me close to her beautiful form and cradling me in her arms.  
Wondering if, by any chance, my beloved has lost her memory of my past instead of me, do I ask: "Is everything alright, Inspector?" And just that one last word seems to make Bentley, who is apparently sitting in his wheelchair quite close to the couch I am in, sigh in relief, does Carmelita worry me as she whispers in response:

"Not yet, Sly, but they will be. They will be." And while her tone is soft, caring, warm and heartfelt, can I not help the shiver of fear for her life and those of my friends to run through me as I have no doubt I already know what Carmelita means; things won't be alright until we have taken Reolu Island back from the Crime Lord.  
But then the lovely fox proves me wrong yet again as, instead of that, she tells me softly: "Let's just get you better and healed up and then things will be alright once again." And while I look at her as she actually lies me back down so I am again lying with my head on her lap, does she look up at my team and happily say: "For all of us."  
And just by looking at how confident, strong and self-assured my friends are as they either stand beside my couch or sit close to my couch, do I feel the confidence I lost after my fight with the crime lord return and do I feel myself actually coming back to who I was before the events on Kaine Island went worse than wrong.

Feeling this inner strength return to me, do I take a deep breath as I – reluctantly – pull myself off of Carmelita's lap and while moving my painful limbs, do I not wince as I sit my foot down on the floor, but do I instead smirk at my team, causing for their smiles to widen in return as I take another deep breath and say:  
"Right. Let me catch you up." But then Murray stops me and says: "Water first." And he quickly runs for a small tab against one of the walls of the room. He grabs a glass stationed there and fills it with water before running back, one of his hands making sure the water doesn't splash as he runs and he hands me the glass.  
I smile gratefully at my friend and the water he gives me feels like heaven to my unused throat. It cools down the pained, frayed, still softly burning muscles within me and I let out another relieved breath after gulping down the entire glass, setting it down on the shabby table in front of me and say: "Right – the crime lord."

And with that do I tell them everything. About the old lady I met that led me to the pawn shop. How I met Mugshot there and how he sold me a car in return for some of my treasure. How I discovered from townsfolk how there was a crime lord that was suddenly the boss around town, regardless of the Cooper Fame on Reolu Island.  
I then wince as I reluctantly tell them how my arrogance and strength got the better of me, how I went to confront the guy without doing recon. How I discovered just how strong his influence in town was as I had actually been expected by the man, who had both buffed up police men and his own lackeys backing him the whole time.  
"But we went to the police station and they told us that you had yet to do anything that warranted an arrest. Wouldn't such an attack against the crime lord warrant that?" The mysterious woman that had accompanied us asks in shock and I shake my head as I say: "The bastard threatened them to silence after I met with him."

Then I growl as – now that the fear is gone – my confidence feels as if it has taken the same blow all over again and while feeling hurt, humiliated and stupid, do I say: "The worst of it all? He expected me, sat on his little throne and let all of his gathered lackeys do the beating – and they were both professional and imaginative."  
At this everyone looks from my hand to my leg and I nod, telling them silently that all of that was indeed done by those bastards before I rectify myself and say: "Except the shaving. I had to do that myself to stop most of the bleeding caused there. The parts you see on my leg are a torn up hip pouch I used as medical aid."  
My friends cringe at seeing this and then suddenly a loud _**CRASH**_ is heard, the sound alone making me feel terrified over the fact that my earlier thoughts were right and instantly I reach for Bentley, who has my cane lying on his desk part of his wheelchair. I cartwheel over the Turtle and grab my cane as I look around frantically.

* * *

 _ **And THERE I end it!  
**_ _ **Oh-oh, has the crime lord found the Cooper Gang? Was Sly indeed correct? Is there really no house safe for the Cooper Gang to hide out at? Sorry, I won't spoil too much. Heck, I'm not even saying the crappy crime lord's name. Yet, his name will definitely be revealed and after this chapter, things will definitely look up.  
**_ _ **This I promise,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	5. My New Training

_**Okay, here it is!  
**_ _ **I brainstormed and even slept on it and now – I have a solid plan like the one I wrote about. The problem? I'm not going to write about it yet! I know, I know, the suspense on who this guy is, is killing! I KNOW! But I can't let the Gang be in the Cooper Vault and not let amazing things happen in there, I just can't.  
**_ _ **So, Cooper vault action,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **Sly's POV**_

The events of the last few days seem like a faraway dream or a bad nightmare from long ago. That's how I feel as I wake up to a strangely tropical beam of sunlight flittering against the lids of my eyes and while I try to block out the light from my sight, does the cushion upon which I am lying just feel too good to get up from.  
However, to suddenly feel that divine cushion actually move, turn and then for something which I can almost feel by instinct to be attached to the cushion starting to softly pet the fur on the back of my head and cheek makes me both feel a new level of bliss and a high sense of confusion as I can only think one word: "What?"  
I blink slowly, the returning stinging of my hand and foot reminding me that the things that happened did indeed happen, but then this pain is driven out of my mind by that same lovely hand that is softly caressing my fur and, upon looking up through bleary eyes, do I actually see the angel of my heart and dreams smile down at me.

Carmelita. Her eyes are strong and wide awake, yet are shining with a deep strong tone of love and devotion as she looks down at me, a smile of actual peace and tranquility on her beautiful face and her fur rustling with a clear sense of delight and adoration as she looks at how her hand passes through the fur on my face and head.  
To see this gorgeous vixen look so at peace with how she cares for me makes my heart melt all over again and makes my whole body feel warm with the love I can feel coming from her caress before she asks: "Slept well, my darling?" And just the word _my_ makes the fur on my whole body rustle in sheer loving delight.  
I release a deep breath and smile at her, trying to convey with that one smile what her eyes are conveying to me and the way her eyes light up at seeing this makes me feel like I accomplished my goal before she suddenly startles me as she bends herself down to my level and kisses me with loving care on the forehead.  
That one single, soft as silk touch makes a shiver of delight run through my fur and then, as if I just switched between my ever-confident self and the persona that Crime Boss created out of me when he defeated me, do I smile up at her and smoothly, but with a yawn escaping me ask: "Will I wake like this every morning, gorgeous?"

Yet Carmelita seems not to care for how I suddenly switched between what she saw of me yesterday and what I am showing her now as she again bends down, lies her forehead against mine and actually astounds me as she softly whispers: "Once we get back to Paris, you can wake up beside me every morning, Sly."  
And with those words do I feel a little more of the defeated me disappearing and the old me coming back, while at the same time I just decide to give into instincts that are still deep within me, yet that I have always kept to the back due to the way Carmelita and I actually interacted over the years and how that complicated living up to them.  
Now though, with those words, with the sense that I am healing of the trauma that the Crime Boss caused me and with the evidence that I can indeed live up to my instincts shining in Carmelita's eyes, do I feel myself lunging up and forward, shocking Carmelita and making us both fall down to the small piece of land behind her.

Yet while this happens, do I wrap my arms around her slim neck and plant my lips upon hers, stealing a kiss and at the same time letting the gorgeous vixen know how happy I am. Happy to be here with her. Happy to live up to the emotions that are in my heart. Happy with the knowledge that she actually returns said emotions.  
Carmelita does tense in shock as we stumble backwards, yet when she feels me kissing her, does she happily wrap her arms around my waist, pulling me closer and tilting her head to the side, allowing for closer contact between our muzzles and for mine to grow a wide, loving smile as I continue to praise her with my lips.

Oxygen becomes a must and when we part, do I happily nuzzle my way from her lips, past her cheek and to her hair, where I give a soft tentative lick to the top of her ear, something that I remember seeing my dad often do to my mum and that Carmelita apparently enjoys as well if the shocked giggle is anything to go by.  
I then continue and bury my face in her luscious full cobalt black and blue locks, taking in the scent of her musk – which I noticed is somehow at its strongest in her hair – and reeling in pleasure at smelling the divine scent of baked hazelnuts and molten chocolate before suddenly I get reminded exactly where I am and who I'm with.

This thanks to Bentley clearing his throat and asking: "You two hungry by any chance?" And while I can feel Carmelita's face heating up besides my own, do I just glare at Bentley, who seems anything but ashamed of breaking up this amazing bit of morning fun that I was having as he just raises his eyebrow at me.  
To this I want to scurry around for Penelope, hoping she will keep Bentley occupied so I can have some more time with my lovely vixen, but Bentley seems to read my mind as he says: "I send Penelope out to get us some food, Sly, so don't even try. Now here, I got you both some cloths from the van, get dressed, will you?"  
I send a glare at the impatient turtle and then remember that I made Carmelita leader of the Gang until I feel fully back to normal. Feeling that I can use this to my advantage, do I suddenly feel shocked when I feel Carmelita move out from under me and to my devastation does she say: "We'll be right there, Bentley, thanks."

The turtle nods and rolls away while I send Carmelita a hurt and wanted look, even going so far as to push my ears back for extra measure, but Carmelita smiles at me and then kisses my lips again before she whispers: "The sooner we get everything done, Sly, the sooner we can enjoy the privacy of my apartment, don't you agree?"  
And instantly I feel as if all the scars, wounds and injuries I have sustained a few days ago have vanished, both physically as well as mentally and I jump the Vixen a second time, hugging her just when she pulls off her tank top and whispering: "You, my sexy gorgeous vixen, know exactly how to heal hurt Raccoons like myself."  
Making the vixen smile at me before she says: "Get dressed, Ringtail, and give a girl some privacy." Instantly at hearing this do I turn around, grab the garments Bentley stalled out near us and rush for another corner of the cave, feeling much too loyal and devoted to Carmelita to disgrace her rights of privacy while changing.

 _ **A few minutes later**_

The cloths Bentley gave me are actually a set of shirt, hat, gloves and shoes that I wore during our 2nd adventure in the Kunlun Mountains and while I am not entirely happy with this as those adventures are still too fresh and remind me a little too much of what General Tsao was like, does it feel good to be back in my old outfit.  
The blue shirt with yellow turtleneck, the blue gloves with yellow bands at the wrists, blue shoes with laces of the same color, the golden belt with silver Raccoon symbol for a buckle and finally the blue peasants cap with black mask to cover my eyes make me feel as if Sly Cooper is back in business – even if he really isn't yet.  
Still, to feel a little more like myself since my fight with the crime boss and to have my old cloths back on while sitting in one of the floor holes with my team, Carmelita and her parents surrounding me, feels like I am in some kind of mix between the good old times and whatever the future could still have in store for me.  
The fact that I am seated next to my beloved with Bentley on my other side and with Penelope next to him and Carmelita's parents next to her make me feel as if I am at a family meeting, as if Carmelita and I are back home and I invited my brother and his girl while she invited her parents, something that really warms me from the inside.

Penelope is also an amazing chef as the few nuts, chestnuts and other fruits that she was able to gather from the island itself have been baked above a self-made fire with natural perfection and while I have no doubt that the whole gang had stored several pieces of provision in the van, does this still feel very nice and is the meal very good.  
We all eat our fill and, while I know I can't partake in the plan itself as I just don't feel ready to go against that bastard while his army is still as strong as it is, do I still feel curious over what Carmelita and the gang could have cooked up the night before and after taking the last few bites of my breakfast, do I ask:  
"So, what's the plan?" Everyone looks at me and I smile, trying to keep back on the fear of having any of them confront a guy with his level of influence and I say: "Hey, I know I'm in no shape to fight the Crime Boss just yet, his influence worries and scares me, I admit, but can't a guy at least know what his team's up to?"  
At this the gang shares a look with each other, something that worries me and makes me wonder what they cooked up even more than before and Bentley says: "We're planning to use his own method against him." This confuses me and I ask: "His own method?" Bentley nods and while Carmelita lies a hand on mine, does he say:

"We're planning to trick him – like we tricked him into thinking we fled when we arrived here. We're going to shadow all of our team mates, who one by one will show themselves out in the open and rush from whoever the Crime Boss sends out to get us. Then, when we get to an area of our expertise, will the whole gang fight the pursuers."  
This makes my lips thin, the idea sounding to have merit and at the same time making me worry for whoever will be used as bait as I just don't want to take any risks with any of those around me before Penelope says: "By doing it this way, will we force the Crime Lord to send out more and more men, yet we will keep the advantage.  
We will let one of us – probably Guru – keep an eye out on the Crime Boss himself to see when he runs out of men and when he does – SMASH! – we bust into his place and give him hell!" And while the girl sounds hyper active and confident, do I feel the fear I have for the Crime Boss and his men rise back up and whisper:  
"Use the Van." Everyone looks confused and I glare at them as I say: "I know I forfeited my rights as leader, but use the van. Let it follow whoever is being used as bait from a distance and the minute you get the feeling that the plan will fail, the van picks you up and we get to a new hide out. I may not be leader, but I won't risk my team."

At this everyone nods and Bentley says: "We were planning to wait with the plan for a few days anyway, give the Crime Boss a little more the belief that we fled and aren't coming back as that will make his confidence rise and that will make it easier for us to ambush him when the time comes. So don't worry just yet, okay Sly?"  
And while this relieves me, am I no fool and do I know that they all have an ulterior motive for waiting a few days, namely wanting to give me some more time to heal. At this do I send them all grateful smiles and when they notice this does Murray give me a happy wink before I sigh and fall back into the pit and ask:  
"So, if we're all staying here for a while, what do we do?" The team all looks at each other and Bentley asks: "You're kidding me, right?" Making me raise a challenging eyebrow his way as he groans and says: "Sly, we're in the last remaining area of the Cooper Vault. What else are we supposed to do?"  
"Play Hide and Seek in the pits?" I comment lazily and while I get a raised eyebrow from Panda King and Carmelita's father, does her mother smother her laughter and does Bentley slap himself on the forehead and ask: "Why did I even bother?" Making me laugh as teasing my little turtle buddy was definitely something I missed.

Bentley then leaves the pit and says: "I'm going to go see if there was something Penelope and I missed a month ago. The rest of you can do whatever you want and see if you can outwit our old leader." And while he grumbles under his breath, does his body stance prove me that he isn't really annoyed with me at all.  
This warms my heart as I remember the few times I had actually pestered Bentley a little too much, feeling careless and irresponsible and wanting to make sure I don't make that mistake now that I have my team back in my life, do I say: "You missing something? Give me a break, Bentley, as if." Making Bentley send a smile my way.  
Then suddenly does Murray say: "Oh, oh, Oh, I know! The Murray knows! The Murray knows what Sly can do." This makes all of us look at him as he rushes out of the cave and returns a few minutes later, carrying a very, very familiar book that I haven't actually opened since my defeat and handing it to me as he says:  
"The Murray knows you were forced to use these techniques for that bastard Crime Boss, Sly, but you're in the Cooper Vault now. You're meant to do it here, don't you think buddy?" And just by those words do I smile at Murray, my eyes wide and slightly moist as I can't believe how right my friend actually is.

Murray smiles back at me and I happily turn around as I had gone to lie on my front while waiting for Murray to return and with the large tome on my lap and Carmelita scooting a little closer, do I follow my instincts and allow for my fingers to leave through the book, opening it at the most familiar set of pages I can think of.  
A picture of a Raccoon with the suit of a ninja, who has a set of canes with one in each hand that are obviously made of Bamboo and of which one has a golden tip and the other is completely made of bamboo is crouched on top of a small spire sticking out from a rooftop with many other spires shown all across the rest of the picture.  
I smile widely at seeing the image of my favorite ancestor, Riochi Cooper, and while the shadowy form of Clockwerk is very clearly visible above the mountains in the background, is the way that Riochi looks the other way and how he stands on just that one small circular shaped spire what makes me love the picture very much.

"He seems pretty powerful." Carmelita then softly mutters as she gazes at the picture over my shoulder and while feeling elated that I can share my family's history with my dearest vixen, do I say: "He was. Riochi Cooper was a famous Ninja who invented the Ninja Spiral Jump and who was also the inventor of Sushi."  
"The in – wait, what?" Carmelita's father then asks me in shock and I nod as I say: "According to the tale did Riochi Cooper once fish for a great White Shark, who actually had a mark like the Cooper Symbol on his body. This was seen as a sign by Riochi and the Shark pledged it loyalty to Riochi in return for sparring its life.  
The Shark then became Riochi's steed as they fought alongside the Shogun's army in great battles and Riochi's steed together with his own abilities led to victory, which in return made the Shogun award them both greatly. However, when the Shark became too old, did it grant Riochi's dream to begin a Sushi House.  
It sacrificed itself and Riochi was able to make such amazing Great White Shark Sashimi out of it, his Sushi Restaurant instantly became a big hit. And this in turn allowed for Riochi to make sure his fame grew in the world, but that no one ever figured out it was him that did all the stealing from those in Japan that just didn't deserve their wealth."

All three of the Fox Family members look at me shocked and I say: "Hey, it says it right here and I don't think a ninja like Riochi would ever lie to his own descendants now, do you?" The Foxes shake their head and then Carmelita's mother leans forward with her arms on her knees as she asks: "Do you know anything else about Riochi?"  
To which I shrug and say: "I know his Ninja Spiral Jump." The three look amazed and interested and I take a quick look around, feeling very, very pleased when I notice how there is a small spire made out of stone that is sticking straight up a few meters to the North East of the tunnel and I happily close the book and lie it down.  
Carmelita quickly takes it upon her lap and her eyes promise me she'll take good care of it, making me send her a grateful smile and kiss her lips ever so shortly with the love that soars in my heart for her, before I mutter: "Watch and learn." Part of me feeling that it shouldn't be just me that can perform this wondrous technique.

I then dash for the spire, making a running leap a few feet away from it and twisting my body in the ever so familiar twist that Riochi Cooper's section taught me so many years ago when I first retrieved his section of the Thievius Raccoonus and thanks to the twist that I make, do I feel myself landing on the spire light as a feather.  
My feet twist themselves around the pointed edge of the spire and each other and while my legs crouch down somewhat, do I feel my waist center itself around every other part of my body, allowing me to land flawlessly and make for those who have never seen this before – Carmelita's parents – to gasp in awe.  
I then see a few more spires up ahead and while wondering if Bentley had noticed these as well when he emptied this section of the Vault, do I make several more jumps, landing on the spires one at a time, yet while I do, do I somehow feel something very strange, like some kind of power, rising up from every spire that I land on.  
Then suddenly, as I land on the tenth on the path, does the spire itself actually light up with the power I had felt coming from the powers surging through me earlier and while shocked at seeing this, do I suddenly feel as if I am not alone while standing on this spire, as if there is someone else also crouching down with me.

Closing my eyes in order to focus on this presence, do I feel someone with incredible grace, talent and respect in his heart reaching out to me and then – while shocked as I realize who's presence this is – do I feel Riochi Cooper reaching into my ability to perform the Ninja Spiral Jump and do I feel him giving it a boost of power.  
Feeling the actual ability grow within me, do I feel as if some part of me has suddenly evolved to a greater stage and when the power fades and the presence of my Ancestor leaves me alone on the spire, do I look up, suddenly noticing how the next spire is much too far away for the Ninja Spiral Jump to help me reach it.  
Yet I know already that this will work and focus on what I felt before, feeling the evolved strength of the Ninja Spiral Jump surround me from the inside and while focusing very strongly on the distance between myself and the next spire, do I feel the energy strengthening the muscles in my legs and do I feel myself not jumping, but leaping.  
A true power, one I haven't even felt when combining two techniques together, races through me as I surge for the spire a good 10 feet in front of me and yet, while the jump feels so strong, so filled with incredible power, do I feel myself twisting like I usually do when using the Ninja Spiral Jump and do I again land soft as a feather.

Everyone, by now, looks at me totally shocked, all of them having rushed over when they saw the light coming from the spire I was on before and while my eyes are wide at seeing the distance I just leapt, do I silently reach for the Raccoonus, Carmelita handing it to me with her hands trembling in shocked concern.  
I quickly open Riochi's section again and read it through, part of me knowing what just happened yet another part of me not wanting to believe that I can be right about what just went through me and then I reach it; the part where Riochi Cooper writes about how he further developed the Ninja Spiral Jump and created:  
"The Leaping Dragon Technique." I then whisper and everyone looks at me as I read about what Riochi did to develop this technique and what it allows the user to do, namely leap from exceedingly long distances between spires without injuring oneself due to the incredible strength that is required for the technique to work.

Looking up from what I have read, do I look around, suddenly wondering if Riochi was the only one who left part of his spirit here to further train future generations of the Cooper Line and after a few gazes through the last remaining section of the Vault am I proven wrong as I suddenly notice something in one of the walls.  
A whole array of rings that are connected the wall itself and that – after a while – actually grow in distance between each other and that – at the very top of the wall – have several obstacles made of wood blocking one from the other while the top ring also has a very familiar sword-like cane dangling from its grasp.

"Galleth's Catapult Crash technique. This last section of the Vault wasn't just used as a storage for treasures, it was a sanctuary where spirits of Coopers long since passed on can partially remain in order to teach their most powerful techniques for those of the Cooper Line that are yet to be." I then whisper in sheer awe.  
Everyone looks to where I am gazing and I use the Leaping Dragon Technique a second time, the power I feel rushing through me as I make the tremendous leap giving me an adrenaline rush unlike any I have ever felt before, while at the same time I feel as if what happened to me by the Crime Boss never even took place at all.  
Feeling my pride and self-confidence return to me again, do I know what has to happen; my friends have to exert their plan and I have to make sure I learn any and every technique that the spirits of my ancestors still want to teach me before my team has taken down all of the Crime Boss' lackeys and head for the Boss himself.  
This makes a self-confident and excited smile grow on my muzzle, the feeling that I can handle this guy with my new techniques and the idea to learn from the spirits of my ancestors filling me with a powerful excitement that makes me just want to leap and crow, yet instead of that do I turn all my focus on the task at hand;

My new training.

* * *

 _ **Wow, that went well!  
**_ _ **To be honest, I had no idea what I wanted to let happen in the Vault, but I felt something had to happen and to have it be something that can help Sly heal and at the same time bring out some hints to Sly 4 just felt right. Now, Sly will be learning the techniques one at a time, but I won't be writing about that.  
**_ _ **Why? Because the Crime boss is coming up and I want to start writing about the rest of the team, how they trick him and how they take out his lackeys. Also, I just want to let you know that there will be more 'The Coopers slighted me so I want revenge' in this story, which is pretty similar to almost all Cannon enemies of the series.  
**_ _ **Enjoy next chapter,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	6. Sly Cooper Versus The Crime Boss

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **Just want to let you all know that I finally figured out what I wanted the Crime Boss to be like, how I wanted him to have become who he is, the works. Now the animal that the Crime Boss represents is actually thanks to a personal friend of mine, but because he doesn't have an account here, will I just say; thanks my friend.  
**_ _ **He knows who I mean,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **Boss' POV**_

It's seems so long ago. So long ago that I was just a simple worker for the Italian Police of Venice. So long ago that I had that one simple job of guarding an unimportant museum for no other reason than that there would be a big showcase a few days later. So long ago that, during my shift, that little Raccoon snuck in.  
Connor Cooper. The famous Raccoon that made name by stealing the World's Largest Diamond with his Muscled Walrus and Intelligent Mandrill friends, who also got Jackerby Le Paradox in prison because the Wolf actually wanted to frame Connor for the heist, had actually snuck into said museum without me noticing.  
Now, normally, this wouldn't have been a problem as it should have just meant that the security needed to be tightened a little more and that there was something valuable stolen – something Connor Cooper was highly known for – yet the fact that he hadn't stolen but added to the collection had made the event a whole other story.  
The whole museum had been closed for several weeks as experts all across the world had gone to inspect the large Walrus like statue that resembled Jim McSweeney to the T that had actually been left by the gang, yet because of this, had the museum missed out on their large expo of a few days after the event took place.

And as incriminating, wrong and unjust as it all was, did my own boss believe he could save face by openly harassing me and relinquishing all my rights as an officer of the Law; something he definitely wouldn't have done had I been female like the inspector that is currently hunting the last member of the Cooper Line.  
The thought of that said Raccoon makes me smirk widely as the memory of what my men caused him feels only too right as a first step to my revenge plan, something I had sworn I would get only 24 hours after my release. And yet, while I had been able to get revenge on my boss, had the Fiendish Five taken my chance away from Cooper.  
This had irked me all those years ago, but then a year later, had I discovered about Reolu Island and I had felt I could take it all away from the Coopers if I were to just make that my new home. And I had, even if the methods through which I conquered Reolu Island were anything but those you would expect from a former police officer.

But hey, I'm a Gorilla, one that was taken from his home and family by a family of panthers and who had been sold to a pair of cobra's who, while they raised me well, never allowed me to travel anywhere but the country in which they lived and who locked me in my room if I didn't study for the career they wanted for me.  
Why these cobras had wanted me and why it had been my family that had been targeted I had never found out as the cheetahs had actually returned to my family and murdered them after dropping me off and my cobra adoptive parents had died a natural death long before I had gathered the courage within me to ask them.  
The cheetahs are also still on my list for revenge, yet my power over Reolu Island is one I cherish more than the need to hunt down a pair of meaningless cats and while I have no doubt that – one day – they will actually come to me, do I now keep my focus on where I really want it; the last of the Cooper Line and his inheritance.  
Cooper may think I only want him to degrade him and incriminate his little Lineage, but my real goal is much greater – and he himself is to blame for me getting this desired plan of mine. It all happened a month ago, when I decided to partake in a sudden and unusual funeral ceremony and discovered something beyond incredible.

Dr. M, the mandrill that used to work with the Cooper that ruined me, had actually lived on an island close to Reolu and had attempted to get into what is known as the Cooper Vault, one that the Cooper Family have been using to stock up all of their hard-earned treasure and gold for the past three-thousand years straight.  
The idea of that kind of treasure, of such an incredible inheritance, had made me desire to find out where the Mandrill had been found, but when I discovered that the funeral had only been honorary as the Mandrill's body had never been found, had I felt as if I was defeated by that lowlife Raccoon and his family yet again.  
Only this belief had been proven wrong by Cooper himself, who had actually come to Reolu Island by himself and who had, apparently, not taken kindly to the fact that I had overthrown the Cooper Reigning Order on the Island. He had then been foolish enough to confront me, yet I had already known of his arrival.  
And his arrival had been exactly what I had wanted. I want to break him. I want to crush him. But mostly, I want him to obey me. Obey me so he will lead me to where his Vault is located. Obey me so I may do to him what he did to his father's former partner. Obey me, so I can finally get my revenge on his blasted father.

And being the crime boss that I have become, what better way to get revenge than by taking that what any and every crime boss worth my stature loves the most; other people's priceless possessions. I know this pretty much makes me a Master Thief as Cooper is my target in this case, but this is a matter I just simply ignore.  
However, what I cannot ignore is the fact that Cooper's friends have apparently been caught by the Inspector currently on Cooper's case and that she used this to get to Cooper as well, only to have one of his men take off with Cooper's new car and for the rest of them to disappear off of the island, Cop and Robber included.  
The fact that said Cop actually took me my chance to break Cooper and have him lead me to what could possibly be left of his inheritance is not one that sits well with me and I had proven to several of my lackeys who I was and how I had been able to take over their island, making the population of Reolu Island miss a few numbers.

The fact that Cooper had taken everything, had temporarily taken residence in one of my safehouses and had then convinced his stupid friends to move even further away had angered me and the fact that his friend had actually baited my men to follow them, only for my men to lose their trial had led to the peak of my anger.  
It's now three days since Cooper escaped me and while I can tell that the villagers that lived near the police station share a mix of disappointment for not seeing their so-called hero perform and relief that he has escaped my grasp, do I keep a low profile in this zone, not feeling like getting Interpol or its inspectors on my back.  
I still have some of the officers there under my control and there are, naturally, plenty of other men and women that work for me and that are scourging the streets on the hunt for either the Raccoon or his band of lackeys, yet I myself do not feel like leaving my trusted safe house just to look for some crackpot thieves.

I know Cooper and I know I scared him enough he will eventually come to me if only to protect his little friends, yet the longer he stays away the more unwilling I become to fulfill his little request and the more I start to plot ways to torture and break Cooper – preferably through methods used against his so-called team.

Then suddenly, as I envision hanging that rotten turtle above some cooking pot in the middle of my safe house, do I hear one of my radios turning on and I ask: "Anything to report?" And a strong, husky voice answers: "Yes Sir, we found one of Cooper's friends. He's running, but we can easily catch him if you want us to."  
This shocks me as I had expected Cooper and not his friends and I ask: "Who is it? And where?" To which the voice answers: "It's the Koala, sir. And he seems to have just nicked away some milk and eggs." Making me snicker as I realize what must have happened and while delighted in the idea to starve Cooper, do I hiss: "Get him."  
And while the other voice replies in affirmation, do I turn off the device and lean back in my throne-like chair, not even caring that I will be getting some newby member of the team as it's obvious that Cooper is trying to be treated for his time spend under my _care_ and this makes me laugh in delight as I think: "Break, Cooper. Break."

 _ **One hour later**_

"What is going on here? Why hasn't my lackey caught that stupid koala yet? Has Cooper escaped me? Have those friends of his taken down one of my men?" Goes through my mind while I slam my fingers down on my iron-made arm rest, only to get interrupted by the same voice, who sounds slightly hurt as he says:  
"Sir, my apologies. Cooper actually appeared and dashed off with his friend. He looked badly hurt, but somehow he used the techniques we have been letting him show to the crowd to escape me. He must have scurried the town before meeting you as he knew the streets better than I did." This makes me growl and I hiss:  
"Don't think of coming back, you understand?" And the voice squeaks before it says: "Yes sir." And while I slam the radio down, does it suddenly ring again and I ask: "Yes?" Only for my anger to be replaced with glee as another voice, this one soft and female answers: "Sir, I just spotted one of Cooper's closer friends.

It's the Hippo and he's running for a dead end. He had some blue shirts in his arms, but he dropped them when he saw me. I guess Cooper told him about me. Should I chase and capture?" To which I laugh and say: "Do so. And rip the cloths apart. See if you can send them to the outskirts of town to leave Cooper a little message."  
The voice affirms my orders and I happily release a deep breath as I lounge in my chair once more, the thoughts I had about torturing the big fat pink hippo delighting me and I think: "I better buy a camera. Too bad Cooper took his or I could have used it to send him the pictures straight away." But then I shrug and slink back.

 _ **One hour later**_

"Didn't that bint say she chased that fat flop of muscle into a dead end? Why isn't she here yet? Did she underestimate him?" Goes through my mind as I feel my anger of before resurfacing before the same soft voice, this time with a strange accent, speaks and says: "Sir, I – I won't make it back. That – that Hippo is – too powerful."  
Before a grunt of pain breaks off the other end of the line and I roar in anger, almost breaking my own throne as I smash the radio against the arm rest. Instantly upon seeing this, do the few lackeys I still have here to serve me dash out of the room, part of me wanting to shout at them to stay and take it, but me fighting this urge.  
"Cooper's friends are trying to keep me from my revenge. They are trying to get Cooper back in full strength. I can't let that happen. I need a change of plans. I need my men together if I want to take Cooper down. Can't believe his idiotic minions can overpower mine." I grumble under my breath as I reach for a new radio.

I press a few of the buttons on this one and say: "This is a call to all of my followers. From now until we have found and gotten Cooper back where he belongs are all of you to work together and to call any and everyone near your vicinity if you spot even one of his friends or him himself. Do I make myself clear?"  
I growl at the end and an array of united voices, some of them strong and determined, others startled and afraid due to the anger they hear in my voice, shout together: "Crystal, sir." Before, not even five minutes later, one of my more local agents calls out and shouts: "Spotted the Iguana, I repeat, spotted the Iguana.  
Parties 55 and 43, report at my location. I will keep an eye out and keep the Iguana in sight. Report here at once." And two voices, belonging to the leaders of the two parties, retort: "Roger. We're on the move." Making me smirk as I know for a fact that part 43 was highly involved when I first met and broke Cooper a few days ago.  
"That Iguana. I might not even kill him. He was a member of the Klaww Gang, after all, so he should have some uses. And I know he was recognized by that little mouse girl when she was still hosting those stupid flight races back in Holland. With a man like that I might actually be able to spread my power further than Kaine Island."  
And while thoughts of convincing the Iguana to ditch Cooper, to build up a new empire of power besides me and to then ditch – and maybe even kill – him when he has made me a world famous and highly dangerous crime boss go through my mind, do I suppress the need to laugh as Cooper's end is becoming clear to me once again.

 _ **One Hour Later**_

"That stupid bint called for my strongest arm forces and she's still not back? What do they think they're doing? I ordered them to catch Cooper and his friends, not play with them. Do they think they can repeat what happened when Cooper first came here? Cooper is mine to kill and so are his little wannabee lackeys."  
Do I rage as I have again waited a full hour for someone I thought would not just lead me straight to wherever Cooper could be hiding, but also someone who actually – I realized a few minutes after hearing about him being spotted – knows where the Cooper Vault is located, something I desire more than I do Cooper.  
I have, at this point, left my throne, yet not the room in which this is located and while wanting to snarl at the radio and asking either of the two teams or other teams what they think they're doing by keeping me waiting, but then the leader of party 55 calls me and while feeling my rage fueling at hearing his voice, do I snarl:

"What?" Causing for the voice on the other side of the connection to gulp, angering me even more as I hiss: "You better have good news, you lowlife or it's you I will be sending my men after, capish?" But the answer I get angers me and makes me roar in pure fury as the voice whimpers: "I – will start running then, I guess."  
And while I can hear the radio falling from the leader's grasp, do I shout in rage, press the same buttons as before and shout: "New orders! Get Cooper, his friends and those unworthy of being part of my team. Currently that includes all members of part 43 and 55 and all those that have seen Cooper's friends, but not caught them, capish?"  
And the answer of all those scared angers me even more as I don't feel like having any use of those scared of me, only those determined and willing to follow me and I growl: "Also, for all those that are rather scared than determined, come back to my hideout and you'll follow Cooper's faith. Stay away cause you're all fired!"

I shout in the end and slam the radio on the receiver, not even caring that I just lost 23 of my 60 teams as all that has happened in the last few hours proves me only one thing; Cooper is only a real Cooper if his friends do all the work. He himself is nothing and the title of Master Thief is definitely not one he is worthy of.  
"What a coward. He's just like those 23 teams. Completely useless and better off dead. Might as well kill him when I see him and then see what uses I can get out of those friends of his. They might even make me capable of getting the teams I deserve. Not these idiots." I grumble to myself at the end and sit back down.  
I sit for a few minutes and grumble to myself about methods through which I can kill Cooper when a strong and pleased voice breaks my thought process and says: "Sir, I just hit the jackpot." Making me grab the radio and angrily ask: "Really, and why do you think that?" But then the man makes me agree as he responds:

"Because I am currently chasing Inspector Fox and I already have her little Shock Pistol in my possession, sir." Instantly all my previous anger dissipates and I respond: "Cooper has a real thing for that fox. Capture her and make it public. Then return here. And remember, take teams with you. Do not underestimate her."  
"Copy that, sir. Teams 13, 60 and 21, follow me. I am chasing Inspector Fox and we have orders to openly capture her. She will be our martyr to capture Cooper." And then my delight grows as I hear another voice: "This is Leader Team 45. Me and Leader team 28 have spotted your target and will be commencing the chase with you."

"Copy that." The leader of Team 10 then says and I sit back, a large smirk on my face as I know just what I will do with this insolent little fox once she and Cooper are mine and while I sit back, do I keep my radio attuned to that of team 10, my pleasure growing as I hear more and more team leaders admitting to join the chase.  
Hearing how there are 20 of my teams actually following the fox around town and how – to my utter delight – they are leading her into an ambush consisting of another 10 of my teams, do I happily close off the connection, feeling confident that I will be having that gorgeous fox under my grasp within the hour for sure.

 _ **One hour later**_

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? THAT FOX WAS LEAD STRAIGHT INTO AN AMBUSH OF 30 OF MY TEAMS! HOW ON EARTH DID SHE ESCAPE THAT! AND WHY ARE NONE OF THEM RESPONDING ANYMORE!" I shout at the top of my lungs as I rage through the entire room in a fit of pure fury.  
Several pieces of furniture have already met their end as I have either ripped them to pieces, swung them against each other or thrown them against the wall and I also have several of my windows missing almost all of their glass window panes, yet none of this matters to me as I can only think of my teams failing me.  
"Thirty of my teams can't even catch a single fox? What is going on here? Why are all of my man failing me? If this keeps up I won't have anyone left." I growl in anger at myself, part of me scoffing at the idea as there are plenty of people constantly coming to Kaine Island that I can easily persuade into joining my cause.

"Ehm – sir?" The timid voice of my secretary then sounds and I snarl: "What?" The cat shivers at hearing this, yet she is almost as headstrong as I am, which is how she worked her way up to being in the position she has today and she says: "I – I did some calculating and – well, we – we only have another 7 teams left, sir."  
This does nothing to soothe my anger and only makes me roar to the skies above me as I ask: "Seven? There are really only seven teams left?" The cat nods and I shout: "Gather them together at the Police Station. If we attack that, we can lure those idiots out! Then Cooper will finally be back where he belongs! NOW MOVE!"  
The cat scrambles out of her seat and rushes for the door, grabbing a mobile radio while she does so and conveying my orders to the few teams I have left and while I know that I won't make any friends with the officers under my control due to my new plans, do I not care for this as I won't let myself be outwitted like this.

"Cooper can plan and try to trick me all he wants. I am staying here and he will come to me. I will make sure of that. That stupid Fox managed to get him to come along thanks to his friends, now I will use that same trick to capture her, Cooper's useless little team and that lowlife, waste of a grey-furred mongrel himself."  
And again do I calm myself down, the thoughts of what I will do with Cooper and his team now more violent and destructive in nature than ever before and at the same time making me calm down as my need for revenge sates the anger I feel boiling in my blood and flushing through my veins, making me sit down with proud ease.

 _ **20 minutes later**_

"That attack should have happened by now. Is Cooper holding back? Does he really care that little for the people of Reolu? Should I attack them to lure him out?" I growl to myself, wondering why I haven't yet heard anything other than my men working together to get into their positions and then the signal for them to attack.  
After that, did they all turn off their radios as they knew I didn't want to be traced back through them, nor did I have any interest in hearing the citizens of this town scream through such a simple little device. If I want to hear people scream they have to be in the same room as me, else the sound just isn't right.

Then suddenly does the fox return, her face white as chalk and her whole body trembling as she says: "Sir – you – you might – ehm – want to – ehm – turn on the TV, sir." And just the fact that she called me Sir twice has me antsy with angered concern. I grab my remote and press the button, causing for my personal flat screen to turn on.  
Yet the sight that gets turned on is not one my angered nerves want to see as I actually come face to face with the fox that took out 30 of my teams and the fox says: "Yes, Reolu Island is safe once more thanks to the Cooper Gang and their brilliant Plan. Eduardo Gorilo is definitely strong, but he relies on his teams as well.  
Because of that, did Bentley device a plan where he constantly lured Gorilo to send more and more of his men after the Coopers not knowing that the Coopers had the advantage once out of Reolu and that they could easily be ambushed. After all, you don't become a Master Thief if you don't have an arsenal of tricks up your sleeve."

And while the fox laughs as she says this do I shout in fury, feeling angered mostly with myself for not realizing what had been happening this entire time and I throw the remote control at the flatscreen, only for it to be caught by something invisible only a few inches away from hitting the screen, shocking me.  
I look at what is holding the device in the middle of the air and then hear a voice that makes the rage within me shoot up even more as it says: "Sorry, but I rather keep such a valuable little device. Will be nice once we get back to our own hideout, after all." And with that does a being step away from the shadows cast by the TV's lighting.  
Grey-furred, brown eyed, a blue cap on his head, his leg still bandaged, but his hand covered in bandages as if they're a glove, his shirt fresh and clean and his whole stance proving that he is back to full strength. Sly Cooper pockets the remote control in his hip pouch as he walks over to where I am standing in front of my throne.

"You dare to come again? After the incredible power I showed you last time? You really have that much nerve?" I shout at him, but while Cooper calmly wipes some of the spit I threw in his face out of the fur on his cheeks, does he turn his gaze back to me and say: "The only power I felt then was that of your men.  
And now – you're about to feel mine." But while I smash my fists together, more than ready to fight this mongrel into the next millennia, does Cooper just keep his gaze on me, his arms besides him and his face a mask of tranquility, which does nothing to anger I feel at seeing him and I shout: "What are you waiting for, you skunk!"  
But this seems to be exactly what Cooper expected as he smirks and says: "What I'm waiting for? Loyalty, nothing much." And while his cryptic words anger me, do I shout: "Your father made me lose my job! It disgraced and dishonored me! I had to leave the country! You will pay for what your family did to me, Cooper!"

And with that do I lunge for the Raccoon, only for someone else to suddenly grab the back of my shirt while I am in midair and when I turn my face am I shocked to see the Pink Hippo standing in the shadow of my throne, his fist tightly wrapped around my shirt and his face a smirk of victory as he lifts me higher.  
"Like I said, I was waiting for loyalty. The loyalty of my friends as they swore I would not need to lift a finger against you. You hurt me and they want revenge." Cooper then says and with that, does he nod at the Hippo and smirk at me before turning around and walking away, making me turn to my secretary and shout:  
"STOP HIM!" But then the secretary moves further into the room and I am shocked when I see the glazed look in her eyes as she has the actual Koala sidekick that works for Cooper held onto her shoulders, while his hands are on the front and back of her head, actually controlling the mind of my most loyal follower.

"No one will hurt our friend. We will not allow it." The Koala then says, his native tongue making it so I can barely understand his sentences and with that, do I remember earlier thoughts and I shout: "YOU'RE A COWARD, COOPER! YOU CAN'T EVEN FACE ME BY YOURSELF! YOU'RE NOTHING WITHOUT YOUR FRIENDS!"  
But while Cooper stops at the doorway to my room, does he only raise his eyebrow as he turns his face my way and ask: "And that's a bad thing?" Shocking me to the core while the Hippo holding me smirks and the Raccoon says: "He's all yours, gorgeous." And while he walks through the door, does he pass someone.

Someone who I just saw on the TV, someone who smiles and nods at him before she walks through the door and who walks over to me with her hands in her hips as she says: "Eduardo Gorilo, allow me to introduce myself. I am Carmelita Montoya Fox. The Cop who will arrest you and the Secondary Leader of the Cooper Gang."  
And with those last seven words do I release a shout of disbelieving fury as I already know that the Woman before me can get away with associating with the Cooper Gang while stationed at Kaine Island and while I do this, do I barely even notice how the other members of the Cooper Gang all come to surround me.  
The turtle in his wheelchair, who's face is a mask of fury that equals the anger I feel in my heart, the little female mouse who is dangerously swirling a few remote controls in her hands, the Panda that actually killed Cooper's parents and the Iguana that walks over as if he's about to dance on my very grave or something.  
This together with the Koala that knocks out my secretary and then hobbles over to join his team and the Pink Hippo that is still holding me up high enough my toes can only graze but not really touch the floor under me makes my anger evaporate and makes the fear I must have induced into Cooper earlier this week enter my own heart.

* * *

 _ **And the end!  
**_ _ **WHAT? I know what you're thinking! Why am I not describing how Gorilo – which is Esperanto for Gorilla by the way – gets beaten to a pulp? I'm bad at writing violent scenes; fighting scenes, war scenes, battle scenes, the whole array of scenes, I'm just not good with them. Anyone who reads my stories knows this.  
**_ _ **Now, next chapter will explain why Sly was even there and will have a few other things in them, one of them the Gang discussing what they will be doing next and I'm sure that anyone who has read this story already knows what I am planning. It's in the title really. There might, also, be an epilogue, but I am not sure yet.  
**_ _ **Anyway, enjoy,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


	7. One Year Later

_**Hey everyone,  
**_ _ **I just want to apologize that this isn't going to be the chapter I promised when I wrote my last AN, I had a chance of heart when I finished that and I – well, I am kind of trying to create OC characters which I hope will help me with my few CR stories that take place in the Great Hall such as Rituals and Reading and Preventing Trouble.  
**_ _ **Because of this did I decide to make another time jump instead of explaining how Sly convinced his friends to let him be there when they confronted Gorilo or the team discussing their next step of actions. Still, I personally think this twist is a very unexpected one – due to the OC character that I chose to use for this.  
**_ _ **Enjoy the shock,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_

* * *

 _ **One year later  
**_ _ **Woman's POV**_

It seems so long ago. So long ago since that strange raccoon came to Reolu Island with nothing more than a suitcase and a cane on his back. So long ago since he asked me where he could find a pawnshop and where I didn't recognize him for who he was – or better said who he was related to – until things had already been said and done.  
Yes, it's only been one year, really, since all of this happened, but I still regret that fact to this day as I feel it was my loud muttering about the Coopers being back that alerted those working for Gorilo and I still to this day believe that, had they not known, Sly Cooper would not have suffered the fate that befell him that same day.  
Yes, I know that this suffering, in the end, led to the Cooper Gang taking out Gorilo and everything good that happened since, yet I hate the fact that a member of the Family our town loves and cherishes had to suffer for things to finally, after almost 2 decades, get back to how they were before Connor Cooper had been murdered.

And still, speaking of that murder is something that makes quite a few islanders of Reolu Island highly uncomfortable as one of the new Cooper Gang members is actually one of the five people who are responsible for the man's death, yet it seems that – because he helped Sly – Panda King has earned the Heir's Respect.  
There had been several cases throughout the first month where people who loved and cared for Sly and who knew of his past with Panda King wanted to separate the two parties, yet the whole Gang constantly stopped this from happening while Sly and his Officer Lady stopped any and everyone trying to get Panda King arrested.  
It had shocked a lot of people that Sly would do this, yet at the end of the month Sly had set all of us straight with one simple question: "People, do you really want me to focus on my hurtful past with one criminal when instead I can finally focus on the future I want with the only person who ever really stole from me, namely my heart?"  
And with that, while he, his team and some officers had been standing on a self-build stage in the plaza that also housed Interpol Headquarters, had the Raccoon turned from stage, reached his arms around the fox's waist, pulled her higher up on stage and swung her in his arms before silencing her yelp with a glorious kiss.

This had made many of those that had come to hear Sly's speech look at each other and everyone had, some of them reluctantly, accepted the words of the thieving Raccoon, who had actually managed to make an incredible deal between himself, the officer ordered with his capture and the Reolu Island Division of Interpol.  
The deal had not been well met with those of the Division where Sly and the others originally came from, yet none of them – not the Cooper Gang, Sly, Inspector Fox or her parents – had cared for this as they had all decided to follow the original plan of the Cooper Gang Leader; to leave their old lives behind and start anew.  
And the deal between the Cooper Gang and Interpol had definitely helped this plan become reality as it had been exactly the one thing Carmelita Fox needed to accept that she was dating a Criminal who also wanted to be her partner in life, something she had wanted herself yet that Sly had feared would break with her own morals.

The deal said that, as long as that Sly wears a certain kind of outfit, it would indicate to all those around him that he was intending to pull a Heist and this would allow Carmelita to attempt and arrest him, even if the Reolu Law prohibited him from being incarcerated. At all other times was he to be considered a regular citizen.  
Sly had decided to make his regular outfit, the blue peasant's cap, the blue gloves with yellow trim, the blue shirt with yellow turtleneck neckline, gold belt with a Raccoon's face for a belt buckle, brown hip pouch, blue knee-length boots and his brown backpack with the same Raccoon's face on the lid as that is on his belt buckle.  
This deal had, a few days later, been solidified with a shopping trip that not just gave the Cooper Gang a chance to buy something other than their usual cloths and outfits, but also gave Carmelita's parents a chance to get to know the Gang and gave Carmelita a chance to better get to know both her new partner as well as his Gang.

It had definitely taken some of the members a short while to get used to wearing the new cloths and not feel as if they were under cover or wearing disguises in order to get somewhere, yet Sly himself had taken to the new cloths the easiest, the Raccoon kidding with it being because it allowed him more chance to be with his love.  
Carmelita had, at first, not really seen the humor in it all, regardless of the fact that Sly constantly ended the joke with another loving kiss, yet after hearing the comment a few times had she decided to start kidding back and it had been very humorous to the Gang to see their leader be outwitted before he could kiss her.  
Sly had gone to see this as a challenge after a few turns and by now do people often see the two sharing witty comments before one of them would end the debate by kissing the other senseless, Sly being the one to do this more often than his partner, yet Carmelita always showing her incredible fire every time she was the one.

Yes, the deal had definitely made things easier for the Master Thief and his partner to live their lives easy and without too much heartache or headache, yet the defeat of Gorilo had brought about certain consequences that neither the officers of Interpol nor any members of the Cooper Gang could have tried to foresee.  
The defeat of that crazy, self-centered Crime Boss had actually made other criminals from countries close to Reolu Island to try and continue where he left off, none of them knowing or caring how the Crime Boss's career ended and a few of them being just as bad as the Gorilla himself. The first who had tried was a Bulldog.  
A bulldog that went by the name of Muggshot and who had been the one animal that had actually convinced everyone on Reolu Island that Panda king was a definite member of the Cooper Gang as Muggshot had tried recruiting him as the first member of a renewed Fiendish Five and Panda King had responded by turning him in.  
Everyone had been heavily shocked when this had happened, yet Panda King had not bothered with our shock and had only responded with the comment: "The Fiendish Five broke up for a reason, never forget that." And those had been his parting words to an incarcerated Muggshot who had shouted at him being a traitor as he left.

Yet the Bulldog had been the only one who believed this as everyone else in town had awaited the Panda outside of the police station and had greeted him with an ovation that had been heard in pretty much all the outskirts of town. The problem? Muggshot had only been the first of over 40 dangerous criminals to try this.  
However with bad news often comes good news and that had been proven true as the Cooper Gang – and especially Sly himself – had taken to this challenge with a vigor and a sense of justice that had even shocked Carmelita. Yet Sly had quickly explained his need to fight this crime wave with a single sentence uttered:  
"Reolu island belongs to the Cooper Line and like the Thievius Raccoonus is it up to me to prove this and prove my worth to the name Cooper." The Fox family had been shocked to hear this, yet while Sly had to promise Bentley that he would never more do this by himself, did the Gang still agree with the words of their leader.  
And Sly had not just come true to his word to protect, he had also had fun while doing so, showing us a whole array of new attacks and techniques that he told us he would have never learned if Gorilo had not forced him to return to the Cooper Vault, which had made a lot of people feel better over what had happened to the Raccoon.

Yes, the last year has definitely been very hectic yet right now this not really on my mind as The Cooper Gang has yet again called all of Reolu Island together for a meeting, the third since their defeat of Gorilo and it is to take place yet again at the plaza of the Police station, yet this meeting has me very worried.  
The reason behind this being the fact that Sly Cooper hasn't just invited the Interpol officers working here, but Chief James Barkley; the former superior of Inspector as well. This had come as a great shock to Carmelita herself, yet Sly had assured her that he had everything under control, that it was just a formality.

By now have I arrived at the location where the stage has been build, the same place as where Inspector Fox had first delivered Sly from Gorilo's grasp which is a fact that is lost on barely anyone present, bar the brown furred Badger, who is glaring at Sly and Carmelita from one side of the stage, while the two are on the other.  
Carmelita herself is shuffling with her hands nervously, yet Sly seems to notice this as he grabs both her hands with one of his, his gloves still blue, but then fingerless as a sign that he's not pulling a heist and he pulls one of her hands up to his muzzle, kissing it softly and whispering a few words of comfort to her after this.

The kiss, however, seems to do nothing to sooth the anger on the face of the badger, yet he himself seems perfectly aware of where Sly and the Cooper line stand in the eyes of Reolu island citizens and while he grumbles to himself, stationed between 2 Reolu Island officers, does he keep to his seat with his face turned away from them.  
Then the other members of the Cooper Gang arrive, all of them having a certain article of clothing on them to prove that they don't mean to break the law today and while all of them – and the wives of Murray and Dimitri – take place behind the Fox and Raccoon, does Sly sweep his eyes over the assembled crowd.  
Spotting who he seems to be waiting for does he nod at our own mayor, the slim waisted cougar nodding back at our revered Raccoon before she moves over to the microphone and coughs, making the few attendants that had started mingling and muttering with each other to turn to her silently as she smiles and says:

"Greetings, citizens of Reolu Island, members of Interpol and members of the Cooper Gang. We are all gathered here today because our own personal genius, Bentley Turtle, has just given me the confirmation that the criminal organizations of the world have once more decided to leave Reolu Island to the Cooper Line."  
This alone shocks me silent as I had no idea that either Bentley or his fiancé Penelope had been keeping an eye on this and then Barkley asks: "Why?" Yet this seems to be exactly what Sly had been waiting on as he smiles at Barkley with his trademark cocky grin and says: "Allow me to show you. To show you all."  
And with that does Bentley press a button on a simple device and does the curtain behind the stage lift itself, revealing a track course unlike any I have ever seen, even while – in my own younger years – I was actually a High-Class member of Interpol and have fought alongside my fellow Inspectors against many crime waves before coming here.  
Spires, wires with spires, electrical fields, tons and crates made of different woods and metal, long pipes that are either facing straight up or are bent in several angles and that cross pretty much the entire field behind the stage, causing for everyone who sees this to have their mouths drops, especially Barkley himself.

Sly then pulls his cane off his back, having agreed with Interpol at the beginning of the year that, regardless of his outfit, he could keep his cane on him as he just felt vulnerable and alone without it, and while he first observes the entire course with a grim look of concentration on his face, does he then run at it with a smirk.  
"Has Cooper lost it?" Barkley shouts as he sees this, but then Sly makes a jump and, unlike any other time before where I saw him in action, does the Raccoon jump, slide, dash, flip, swing and move around with more agility, finesse, speed, reflexes and incredible power than I have ever seen, awing everyone who watches.  
Several new techniques that Sly told us he has learned here on Reolu Island and inside the Cooper Vault come up as well, causing for the Cooper Gang to smile at their leader widely as Sly now performs them as if he's learned them years ago, while Barkley's eyes widen the longer the Leader goes through the course.

Finally, a good ten minutes later, does Sly use the long wire hung high above the entire course and his own cane to slide back to where the others are standing, unchaining his Cane and landing on the stage itself with a perfect backflip in mid air before Bentley presses the same button, making the curtain cover the course yet again.  
Sly then turns his face to a bewildered Barkley and says: "The Criminal Organizations of the World have given up on Reolu Island because over 45% of them have been caught thanks to the united force of the Cooper Gang and the Reolu Island division of Interpol, led under the expertise of one Carmelita Montoya Fox."  
The badger now turns to the Fox and Carmelita says: "I see no more reason to chase Cooper, chief, simply because of what Sly has been doing for me, for Reolu Island and for the sake of Justice ever since he first came to Paris. He might not follow the law like we do, but like Interpol does he still fight his hardest for the sake of justice."

She then smiles lovingly and says: "And besides, you can't ever convince me to arrest and capture the man that stole my heart when we first met, so you might as well stop the idea to try, because I have no authority on Reolu Island. I have the right to chase and keep Cooper on his toes, but it's against Reolu law to incarcerate him."  
The badger seems unable to comprehend this and Sly says: "Furthermore, would I like for you to turn your face to the south west of the audience, say around five to ten." And while this last part makes no sense to me, does Barkley follow instructions, his eyes widening underneath his furry eyebrows and he asks: "What – what are you doing here?"  
We all turn to where the Badger is looking and see a lioness, a panther, a cougar and a leopard all standing together wearing highly fancy suits and having a certain logo shown on their upper left arm while there are several guards in black suits guarding them as they smile at the badger and move through the crowds to the stage.

There the lioness sends a short smile Sly's way before she turns to Barkley and the audience and says: "We are here, Chief Barkley, because the mayor and his men have asked the United Nations to award Sly Cooper, Carmelita Fox and the Cooper Gang not just for their victory against Eduardo Gorilo, but also their help against the Crime waves.  
And we of the United Nations have taken a very close look at everything the Cooper Gang has done for Reolu Island over the last year as well as all their actions in all other countries they were spotted in and we have come up with the perfect gift or so we believe." By now everyone in the crowd is looking at her in excitement.  
Yet it's not the lioness that continues speaking as, instead of that, her partner the cougar takes a roll of paper from his inner jacket pocket and unrolls it before he lies it over the stand on which the microphone is stationed and then turns to first Chief Barkley, then Inspector Fox and finally Sly Cooper as he says:

"Please sign this here contract. It's only legal for one year and all that is given to you through this contract can only be used once, please remember that." Sly nods and while Barkley looks at him warily do the three of them step forward, all three of them bend over the contract as they read it each in their own pace.  
Silence now rings through the entire plaza as everyone is highly curious over what the United Nations decided to give the Cooper Gang to thank them for their actions and while Barkley again gets wide eyes while he reads, does Sly start to smile wider and wider the longer he reads and does Carmelita get a challenging smirk as she reads.  
Sly is the first to finish and clears his throat as he does, turning to the microphone and the people of the United Nations as he says: "So basically, this contract will allow me and my gang one last heist in all the countries we stopped a villain in, along with a full week of holiday in that same country, while fully immune to the law.  
And after all these heists have been pulled, all these weeks of holiday have been spend and the year has passed, we are to forever remain either on or near Kaine Island, unless we are willing to go on a holiday somewhere while fighting the urge of heisting. Do I have everything understood from this, ladies and gentlemen?"

The five members of the United Nations nod, but then Sly says: "I'm sorry, we can't do that." We all look shocked and Sly says: "We can't, because with all the heists my gang and I have pulled, we already surpass the 52 weeks that make a year. We would never be able to get all the weeks of holiday you offer us in that 1 year."  
At this, while the tension that had come up when Sly had shocked us all now surpasses, makes the male Cougar and the male Leopard smile and nod in understanding as Sly says: "I want those holidays. Not just because my team deserves them for all they have put up with, but because I want to spend that time – with my girl."  
And with that does he wrap a loving arm around Inspector Fox's waist, shocking Barkley, but making the Inspector smile at her criminal as the male Cougar nods and says: "Consider the year time be expanded to 3 years. Will that suffice, Mr. Cooper?" Sly nods and says: "Thank you, now would you mind staying for one more occasion?"

And with that does he seem to catch even the attention of our own mayor, proving to even me that this was not something our town leader had expected as he had already risen from his seat upon seeing Sly nod, yet now he sits back down, giving Sly a silent sign that he will remain where he is and that Sly has free reign to do as he pleases.  
Sly sees this and sends a grateful smile to the leader of our town before he takes a deep breath and while Barkley looks at him curiously, while the Cooper Gang starts to move around the stage, all of them having their Binocucoms in front of their eyes, and while Inspector Fox's eyes prove she is as clueless as our mayor.  
The Raccoon then again opens his eyes as he gazes at the Fox and the intensity and strength that comes from those two amber brown eyes makes the Fox almost stiff with shock while a loud gasp goes through the entire crowd, yet while they seem shocked, do the Cooper Gang members seem to take this as a good sign.

All of them now have a single spot all over the stage and seem to be filming whatever their leader has planned and Sly says: "Carmelita, when this all started, I was pretty heartbroken and it was my own fault. As far as I knew the only way I could be with you was through lies as I was just too coward to be who I am and tell you the truth.  
I could not stand this fact, so I left. Yet, while I had expected a furious, vengeful Vixen to chase me all over the world, did I instead of that encounter the most caring, heartfelt and incredible being I have ever laid eyes on and did you make me feel even more determined to prove my worth to the brilliant being that is you.

You and I have an incredible past behind us. We defeated the Fiendish Five together, we broke down Clockwerk, we worked together to arrest members of The Claww Gang and we fought side by side to defeat Clock-La. Yet when we did and when you broke Clock-La's hate chip, did I think thoughts that I believe in to this day.  
At that time I found it ironic that a police officer had been the one to break the Clockwerk Curse over the Cooper Line, yet at the same time was I sure that the menace of Clockwerk would never come to harm me or my children again. Yes, I was only 19 and I thought of the future far ahead enough to imagine myself a father.  
And here is where I will have to be more honest with you than I have ever been." The man then says, parts of him trembling while you can easily see how badly he is trying to keep these signs of his nervousness under control. By now everyone is highly curious and amazed at how the Raccoon speaks and Sly breaths in before he speaks:

"Carmelita, when Bentley told me we had to switch you with Jing King to save her, did I only agree to this because I trusted in you, even though I had already met with General Tsao and found out firsthand what he thought about women. Still I feared what could happen to you were Tsao to find out about you not being Jing King.  
This didn't happen, you came through and even saved my life, not once but twice. You saved me from Dr. M. and his maniacal monster and you saved me from Gorilo and the diabolical way through which he tried to break me. You have done so much for me and I – I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life showing you my gratitude."  
By now the wife of Dimitri as well as over a good three quarter of the female population present are in silent tears, while Penelope has trouble keeping her Binocucom steady as she is almost trembling in excitement while Barkley has a raised eyebrow and while all the representatives have large smiles of anticipation on their faces.

Sly then seems to have reached the climax of his speech as the breath he now takes is heavier with need, desire, fear and love than any other he took before now before he looks at Carmelita, the strength of his gaze as he looks at the Fox before him having increased in love, devotion, loyalty and care as he softly tells her:  
"Carmelita, you have done so much for me, but the best thing you have ever done is commit a crime I didn't think possible after I lost my parents, not even after Bentley and Murray became the brothers I consider them today; you stole my heart and – and I never want you to give it back, because it belongs with you.  
Because I belong with you and – and with this – all of this – do I hope that I have proven that to you. But only you can tell me whether I am right or wrong and you can only do so by answering me one single question." And with that do I already know what the Raccoon is planning, causing for a large smile to grow on my face.

And Sly proves my suspicions to be true as he goes down on one knee in front of a very startled vixen, pulls a gorgeous ring from one of his fingerless gloves and takes Carmelita's hand in his own with truly astounding delicacy before he with love coloring his voice asks: "Carmelita Montoya Fox, will you marry me?"  
And the gasp that escapes the Vixen as she uses her free hand to cover her mouth is almost silenced by the deafening gasp that runs through the entire crowd, all of the couples holding onto each other and all of the singles glaring at the Fox, obviously hating her for her luck at having this questioned asked to her instead of them.  
Then, while the way that everyone now is holding their breath makes me wonder if we won't be needing medics to tend to those that have fainted due to lack of oxygen, does Barkley want to stand up from his seat with fury, only for those in the audience near him to glare at him, telling him with their eyes not to even try.  
The Badger sits back down in shock and while all of the Cooper Gang members and Carmelita's parents are now all trembling in excited tension, does Carmelita seem to wake from her shock as Sly softly pinches her hand before she gives the answer everyone on the stage and in the audience had been waiting for:

"YES!" The Fox shouts, the scream loud enough to carry through the entire plaza and under the exuberant applause from the entire audience, the tears streaming down the eyes of the two Fox Ladies, the proud smile of the Fox Lord and the happy hugs and shouts of congratulations of the Cooper Gang, does Sly give her his ring.  
The ring itself is then shown on the large screens stuck to the back of the stage and many women gasp when they see it. Two bands of pure gold with a set of dark amber brown that looks like chocolate and opal blue stones connecting them together; the two colors anyone who knows Sly Cooper knows that he loves them the most.  
Sly then hugs Carmelita with all the strength he seems to have in him, his whole body now shaking with the happiness the Raccoon must be feeling soaring through him and while the two hold each other like this for what seems like eternity, do we still hear Sly mutter loud enough for the whole audience to hear:

"And then to think, my love, that all it took for us to have this amazing last year and the entire future we will now share together was the worst letter I ever had to write. It took only a single letter to change everything we have ever known and to give us both all we ever wanted." And with that do I finally give into my own tears of joy.  
I then turn around, ignoring the way that some of the other people in the audience look at me strangely and leave the crowd, moving into one of the darker alleyways that lead away from the plaza and just before I disappear in the shadows of the alleyway, do I turn around and whisper: "You have done well, my little grandson."

* * *

 _ **Wait, WHAT?  
**_ _ **Okay, I am going to be very honest with you all here. I had not planned for the mystery woman to actually be Sly's grandmother, but it just seemed like such an amazing way to end the story, mostly because I just didn't feel right ending it with Sly mentioning the letter he wrote Carmelita at the start of this story.  
**_ _ **Now, I am very happy with this story and how it turned out and I'm sure quite a few were shocked to hear that Dimitri was actually married. I'm also sure some of you are wondering what the woman who stole Dimitri's heart looks like this, but this story has come to an end now and that is just that.  
**_ _ **See yah,**_

 _ **Venquine1990**_


End file.
